Frequently Asked Questions

The expert service technicians at VALLEY are committed not only to meeting your heating and cooling needs, but also to informing you about how the technology of our industry works. So we put together this comprehensive Frequently Asked Questions section to make you an expert, too.

What makes my home comfortable?

What kind of system is right for me?

How can I save money?

What maintenance can I do myself?

What routine maintenance do I need help with?

Can I troubleshoot before Calling Valley?

Should I repair or replace old equipment?

Helpful Hints

How to prepare for extreme hot spells.

Read our glossary of common HVAC terms.

or Learn More About...

The EPA's Energy Star Program
Puron Environmentally Sound Refrigerant
Green Seal Program

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What makes my home comfortable?

The four biggest factors in your home's comfort are:

• Temperature
• Cleanliness/freshness of air
• Humidity
• System Control

For more info scroll ahead…

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Temperature
To most people, temperature is both the beginning and the end of any discussion involving comfort. To VALLEY, simple temperature management is only the beginning. To achieve superior indoor comfort, you've got to start with the basics -- heating or cooling -- as the foundation for your system. We offer four main product families for heating and cooling:

• Furnaces
• Heat Pumps
• Air Conditioners

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Cleanliness/Freshness of Air
Dusty, dirty homes at any temperature can cause feelings of discomfort to many people, especially allergy sufferers. And, the air in today's tightly-sealed, well-insulated and energy-efficient homes can become stale as the same indoor air is circulated and re-circulated. The fact is, with dust, pollen, pet dander, mold, skin flakes, chemical fumes, cigarette smoke, Radon gas and more, the air inside your home can be even more polluted than the air outside. VALLEY can alleviate these problems and therefore add another level of comfort with the following products:

• Air Cleaners
• Ventilators

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Humidity
Humidity is a funny thing. In the winter, dry air can cause static electricity, itchy skin, damage to home furnishings and more. Adding humidity is a good thing because it makes the air feel warmer and more comfortable while minimizing damage to furnishings. In the summer, it is preferable to remove humidity so indoor air feels cooler and less sticky. Valley’s answer? Improved comfort through humidity control with:

• Humidifiers
• Thermidistat^TM Control
• ComfortHeat Technology

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System Control
Some of the common comfort complaints from homeowners include: inconsistent temperatures from one room to the next, up and down temperature swings, constantly adjusting the thermostat, and more. System controls of varying degrees of sophistication can help with these issues, offering straight termperature control, programmability that allows setting a "comfort schedule," temperature and humidity control combined, and dividing the home into zones which can be controlled separately. VALLEY provides this kind of control with the following products:

• Thermostats
• Thermidistat^TM Control
• Zoning System

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What kind of system is right for me?

The system that is right for you will depend on a number of factors: your budget, your comfort expectations, physical factors such as what type of system currently exists in your home, the unique features of your home, and more. Below, you can explore the system options available and some of the key factors that affect your choice.

• Types of systems
• Key Accessories
• System Control
• Key factors that affect your choice

For more info scroll ahead, or click above on the subject of your choice.

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Types of systems
For the basics of heating or cooling temperature control, you typically will have four system options. Below is a list of those options followed by the approximate percentage of U.S. homes using that particular system.

• Gas Furnace/Air Conditioner (60% of homes)
• Heat Pump (25% of homes)
• Small Packaged System (5% of homes)
• Boiler

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Key Accessories
Additional comfort comes from having clean, fresh air as well as proper humidity levels inside. These products will fine-tune your system to help improve your overall comfort and the efficiency of your indoor comfort system.

• Air Cleaners
• Ventilators
• Humidifiers

System Control
Most people are familiar with the basic thermostat. But, system control is more than picking a temperature and walking away. It includes being able to program a comfort schedule for different times of day, setting humidity levels, and even setting different temperatures for different areas of the home. Here's how:

• Humidifiers
• Thermidistat^TM Control
• Zoning System

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Key factors that affect your choice
Some of your home comfort decisions will be made for you based on some of the physical considerations involved, including:

• Your home
• Your existing system
• Your geographical region
• Energy sources available

Your home
Everybody's home is different. Some are big, some are small. Older homes are not as tightly sealed as new ones, which means efficiency is reduced. The number and size of windows, what direction the home is facing, number of mature trees in the yard and many more factors can affect your comfort, and may play a part in deciding what type of system is best for you. Your local heating and cooling contractor should have the expertise to assess any unusual circumstances surrounding the specific needs of your home.

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Your existing system
If you are replacing an existing system, there are physical and financial reasons to stay with the same type of system. For example, if you currently have a boiler, it will be very expensive and physically challenging to install the ductwork you need for a forced-air furnace or heat pump.

If you want a new type of system because you were dissatisfied with your comfort, remember that a new system will bring newer comfort technology and energy efficiency. Also, your comfort problem could be related to other issues, such as improper ductwork, system balance, cleanliness or freshness of air, humidity control and system control.

Your geographical region
Although there are exceptions to every rule, geography can play a role in what type of system will work best in your home. Here's the general idea:

• Colder regions - Furnace or Boiler/Air Conditioner combo
• Warmer regions - Heat Pump or Air Conditioner w/ supplemental heat
• Regions with land or space issues - Small Packaged Rooftop systems

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Energy sources available
Some systems simply won't work if the proper energy source isn't available or too expensive to consider. The three most likely energy sources for your comfort system are electricity, gas or oil.

4.      Electricity
If you have no gas or oil service, you will need to go with an all-electric system, which means a heat pump or air conditioner. You may be able to have a gas line installed at your home, but that could be an additional cost. In some areas, electrical rates are so low that an all-electric system can still be the best option even if gas or oil are available.

5.      Gas
If natural gas is available, furnaces and boilers become options for you. You may still opt to have an all-electric system if that suits your home or your personal preference.

6.      Oil
If natural gas is available, furnaces and boilers become options for you. You may still opt to have an all-electric system if that suits your home or your personal preference.

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How Can I Save Money?

Shopping for bottom line price is easy. But, will the lowest priced system end up costing you money in the long run with higher operating costs or by needing to be replaced sooner? Will the lowest priced system provide the comfort you expect?

Comparing energy efficiency of different brands of heating and cooling equipment is relatively easy. Although the rating systems are standardized, allowing you to make a fair comparison, there are three different rating systems used. Each rating is used for a specific type of product (in other words, all furnaces use the same system, heat pumps use a different system, an so on). They are:

• AFUE (gas heating)
• SEER (cooling)
• HSPF (heat pump heating)

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AFUE (gas heating)

The efficiency of a furnace is measured in a rating known as AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency). A lot like your car’s miles per gallon rating, AFUE tells you how efficiently the furnace converts fuel (gas or oil) into heat. An AFUE of 80% means that 80% of the fuel is used to heat your home, while the other 20% basically goes up the chimney.

The government mandated a minimum AFUE rating for furnaces installed in new homes is 78%. (In contrast, many furnaces manufactured before 1992 had AFUE ratings as low as 60% — so nearly half the fuel was being wasted.) Furnaces with AFUE ratings of 78% to 80% are considered "mid-efficiency"; those with ratings of 90% or higher are known as "high efficiency." The maximum furnace efficiency available is around 96.6%.

In general, a higher efficiency furnace usually means two things:

• higher price
• lower monthly operating cost

If you have an older furnace (with an AFUE of about 60%), you could save up to 60% on your heating bills by replacing it with a new high-efficiency furnace. So the cost to replace your old, inefficient furnace is paid back through lower utility bills.

Payback
If you live in a cold climate, you could see a payback in a few short years. If you live in a moderate climate, it might make more sense to purchase a mid-efficiency furnace. VALLEY can use heating data from your area to help you determine about how long it would take you to recover the additional cost of a high-efficiency model in energy savings. (Of course, after the payback, you continue to save on your energy bills for the life of the system.)

SEER (cooling)

Cooling efficiency for air conditioners and heat pumps is indicated by a SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating, which tells you how efficiently a unit uses electricity. The higher the number, the greater the efficiency.

The typical SEER rating of units manufactured prior to 1992 is about 6.0.Now, the government mandated minimum is 10.0 SEER. High-efficiency units have a SEER of at least 12.0; the maximum available is about 17.

HSPF (heat pump heating)

Heat pumps also have heating efficiency ratings, indicated as an HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor). In general, the higher the HSPF rating, the less electricity the unit will use to heat your home.

The government mandated minimum heating efficiency standards for new heat pumps is 6.8 HSPF. Most heat pumps manufactured before 1992 have HSPF ratings below 5.0. Today, an HSPF of 7.5 or higher is considered "high-efficiency"; the maximum available is 10.0.

Payback
Higher efficiency in heat pumps and air conditioners usually means higher cost but lower utility bills. If you live in a warm and/or humid climate, you will probably see the higher cost of a high-efficiency air conditioner or heat pump paid back (through lower utility bills) in a few short years. Ask VALLEY to help you determine about how long it would take you to recover the additional cost in energy savings. Of course, after the payback, you continue to save on your energy bills.

Matching Your System for Optimum Efficiency
There’s one other factor that affects the efficiency of your air conditioning or heat pump system: the indoor coil. (Your heat pump or air conditioner is a "split system," which means that there is an outdoor unit, or condenser, and an indoor unit, or evaporator coil.) If your condensing unit is not matched with the proper indoor coil, it may not give you the stated SEER and/or HSPF ratings and could even develop performance problems. (It’s kind of like putting two new tires on one side of your car and leaving the old, worn-out ones on the other side. You’d probably be disappointed with both the performance and the miles per gallon you get.) When you’re replacing an existing system, make sure you replace both units so your new condensing unit will give you optimal performance, efficiency and comfort.

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What Maintenance Can I do Myself?

With the proper maintenance and care, your Carrier equipment will operate economically and dependably. There are a few simple, routine maintenance operations you can do to help ensure the best performance and comfort from your system.

Safety First
Before you perform any kind of maintenance, consider these important safety precautions.

• Disconnect all electrical power to the unit before removing access panels to perform maintenance. Please note that there may be more than one power connection switch.
• Although Carrier takes special care to prevent sharp edges in the construction of our equipment, it's best to be very careful when you handle parts or reach into units.

Routine Maintenance

Check the air filter in your furnace or fan coil every 3 to 4 weeks. A dirty filter will cause excessive strain on your furnace, air conditioner or heat pump. Replace your filter when necessary, or clean it if you have the reusable type. (If you have a reusable filter, make sure it's completely dry before you re-install it.) The prefilter and collection cells of an electronic air cleaner should be cleaned at least two or three times per year.

Clean dust off of your indoor coil. With a vacuum cleaner and soft-brush attachment, you can remove any dust from the top and underside of the coil. Make sure you only do this when the coil is dry. If you can't get the coil clean this way, call us for service.

Keep your outdoor condensing unit free of debris. If you keep grass clippings, leaves, shrubbery and debris away from your outdoor unit, it should only require minimal care to operate properly. Check the base pan (under the unit) occasionally and remove debris, to help the unit drain correctly. If the outdoor coil becomes dirty, use a brush or a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush attachment to clean the surface. To clean dirt that is deep in the coil, contact VALLEY.

Take special care of outdoor condensing units in ocean environments. If your unit is located near a sea coast, you can help preserve its optimal condition with a little extra care. Ocean mist and sea breezes carry salt, which is corrosive to most metals. Although new Carrier units are made out of galvanized metal and are protected by top-grade paint, you can add life to your unit by washing all exposed surfaces and the coil approximately every three months. (Ask your installing contractor about the appropriate interval in your area.)

Make sure your outdoor unit stays in a level position. If the support for your split-system outdoor unit shifts or settles and the unit is no longer level, re-level it promptly to make sure moisture drains properly out of the unit. If you notice that water or ice collects beneath the unit, arrange for it to be drained away from the equipment.

Inspect your furnace's combustion area and vent system before each heating season. If you find dirt, soot or rust, your system may not operate properly or at its peak efficiency. Call VALLEY and do not operate your furnace until it is professionally inspected and/or repaired.

Have oil-fired boilers inspected annually. Call VALLEY before each heating season to replace your oil filter cartridge and conduct a thorough inspection of the unit's operation.

Clean your humidifier at the beginning of every heating season. Review your owner's manual for the proper procedure to clean the external and internal components of your unit. The evaporator pad should also be replaced before each heating season. If the water in your area is hard or has high mineral content, you may need to clean or service your humidifier more frequently.

Clean the core and air filters on a ventilator at least every three months. You can vacuum the core of an energy recovery ventilator as long as it is dry and the outdoor temperature is between 60 F (16 C) and 75 F (24 C). Heat recovery ventilator cores can be soaked for three hours in a solution of warm water and mild soap and then rinsed. Ventilator air filters are washable: just use a vacuum to remove the heaviest accumulation of dust and then wash them in lukewarm water. Replace them after they are completely dry.

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What Routine Maintenance do I Need Help With?

Think about how you take care of your car. Sure, most people can handle the little stuff - checking and topping off fluids, keeping tires inflated to the correct pressure, changing the wiper blades. But, to keep your car operating at its best, you need an occasional tune-up from a trained professional.

Your heating and cooling system is no different. To get the most performance and longest life from your system, it's a good idea to have a professional perform routine checks in the spring and in the fall.

Spring maintenance
In the spring, VALLEY can typically check a heat pump or air conditioner for all or some of the following:

• operating pressures
• refrigerant charge
• filter condition
• compressor
• fan motor
• capacitors
• belts
• crankcase heaters
• coils cleaning
• lubrication of moving parts

Fall maintenance
In the fall, you can expect VALLEY to check your furnace in the following areas:

• burner and pilot assemblies
• cracks in the heat exchanger
• check the pilot thermocouple
• examine the filter and check vent piping
• test the electronic ignition
• test the fan
• test the limit switch
• burner adjustments
• measure manifold gas pressure
• measure temperature rise
• carbon monoxide test
• set the heat anticipator
• check and adjust belt tension
• examine the draft diverter
• lubricate the fan motor

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Can I Troubleshoot Before Calling VALLEY?

The answer is, "Yes." Here are some simple procedures you can perform before going to the expense of a service call:

• Check disconnect switches (indoor and outdoor if you have a split system). Make sure that circuit breakers are ON or that fuses have not blown.
• Check for sufficient airflow. Make sure air filters are clean and that supply-air and return-air grilles are open and unobstructed.
• Check the settings on your thermostat. If you want cooling, make sure the temperature control selector is set below room temperature and the SYSTEM switch is on the COOL or AUTO position. If you want heat, make sure the temperature control selector is set above room temperature and the SYSTEM switch is at HEAT or AUTO. The FAN switch should be set at ON for continuous blower operation or AUTO if you want the blower to function only while the unit is operating.

In addition to the routine maintenance you perform, your home comfort system should be inspected at least once a year by a properly trained service technician. VALLEY can make sure your system operates safely and gives you the best performance at the lowest cost. You may also want to ask us about an economical service contract that covers seasonal inspections for a flat fee.

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Should I Repair or Replace Old Equipment?

Three main factors to consider are:

• Life expectancy
• Operating cost
• Looking at the big picture

Life Expectancy of Current System

When you’re frustrated with an equipment break-down, it can be tempting to find the least expensive "quick fix" to get on with your life in relative comfort. That "quick fix" may be the least expensive now, but it may not give you the most value — or cost you the least — in the long run.

Paying for repairs to an old or inefficient system often simply prolongs the inevitable. It’s almost like putting a bandage on a serious injury. An older system that breaks down once is likely to break down again ... and again. That means more emergency service calls or, worse yet, the risk of damage to your home or to other components of your heating and cooling system.

Operating Cost

There’s also an ongoing cost factor to consider. Restoring your old system will only bring it back to its current level of energy efficiency. After you’ve recovered from the repair bills and the frustration of system breakdowns, you still won’t save on your energy bills.

Even six-year-old heat pumps and air conditioners are considered grossly inefficient by today’s energy efficiency standards. So are most furnaces built before 1980. So you could save up to 60% on your energy bills with new high-efficiency equipment. That’s why installing a new heating and cooling system can actually pay for itself in energy savings within a relatively short time.

Looking at the Big Picture

When one component of your system breaks down unexpectedly, it’s easy to just focus on repairing or replacing that component. But each part of your system works with the others to boost efficiency and reliability, so it helps to keep the big picture in mind.

Replacing your old furnace with a new higher-efficiency model but leaving your old mechanical thermostat in place, for example, won’t allow you to enjoy all the efficiency advantages the furnace has to offer. Likewise, if you install a new furnace but don’t get a humidifier, the air may seem cooler, forcing you to operate your new system at a higher temperature to be comfortable. Plus, you can often save on installation costs if you have several components of your system (for example, a furnace and an air conditioner) replaced at the same time.

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Hot Weather Preparation

Things a homeowner can do during extreme hot spells:

• Keep grass clippings and leaves away from the outdoor unit. This keeps dirt and debris from getting into the system. It also keeps the airflow path clear.
• Keep furniture and carpeting away from grills and ductwork. If you block your air conditioning system’s ability to deliver air, you rob yourself of the cooling necessary to keep your home comfortable.
• Keep the west-facing drapes, shades or blinds drawn in the afternoon. Keeping the sun out will keep your home cooler.
• Run your dishwasher, washing machine and dryer in the evening hours.
• Don’t use your oven.
• Keep your fan running. It helps to keep the air moving.
• Don’t overrun an exhaust fan. It pulls the air conditioning out of the home.
• Use a programmable thermostat. This allows you to cool your home only when you need it.
• Zone your heating and cooling system. If you spend most of your time in one part of your home or if different people in your home want the temperature at different settings, then zoning can help you be more comfortable and save money on your utility bills.
• Use an attic ventilator. By pulling hot air out of your home, you keep your home cooler in the summer.
• Have your cooling system checked at least once per year by an ACCA member contractor. Your equipment works more efficiently when it is clean and running properly.

Going on Vacation?

• DO NOT turn off your air conditioning unit!
• Set your thermostat at 85 degrees. This keeps the air circulating in your home. High temperatures and humidity can cause damage to your home, your workplace and your health! Humidity can cause wallpaper to peel, floorboards to warp, and most importantly, mold and fungus to form in bathrooms, on furniture and in your air conditioning ducts.

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HVAC Glossary

Aeroseal - A patented sealing process; the most effective, affordable, and viable method of sealing the central heating and cooling ductwork in your home.

AFUE - Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency, a rating that reflects the efficiency of a gas furnace in converting fuel to energy. A rating of 80 means that approximately 80 percent of the fuel is utilized to provide warmth to your home, while the remaining 10 percent escapes as exhaust.

BTU - British Thermal Unit. In scientific terms, it represents the amount of energy required to raise one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit. One BTU is the equivalent of the heat given off by a single wooden kitchen match. For your home, it represents the measure of heat given off when fuel is burned for heating or the measure of heat extracted from your home for cooling.

CFM - Cubic feet per minute, a standard of airflow measurement. A typical system produces 400 CFM per ton of air conditioning.

Capacity - The output or producing capability of a piece of cooling or heating equipment. Cooling and heating capacity are normally referred to in BTUs.

Compressor - The heart of an air conditioning or heat pump system. It is part of the outdoor unit that pumps refrigerant. The compressor maintains adequate pressure to cause refrigerant to flow in sufficient quantities in order to meet the cooling requirements of the system.

Condenser Coil or Outdoor Coil - Located in the outdoor unit, the coil dissipates heat from the refrigerant, changing the refrigerant from vapor to liquid.

Damper - Found in ductwork, this movable plate opens and closes to control airflow. Dampers are used effectively in zoning to regulate airflow to certain rooms.

Downflow Furnace - A furnace that pulls in return air from the top and expels warm air at the bottom.

Ductwork - Pipes or channels that carry air throughout your home.

Evaporator Coil - The coil that is inside your house in a split system. In the evaporator, refrigerant evaporates and absorbs heat from air passed over the coil.

Heat Exchanger - A device for the transfer of heat energy from the source to the conveying medium.

Horizontal Furnace - A furnace that lies on its side, pulling in return air from one side and expelling warm air from the other.

Humidifier - A device that injects water vapor into heated air as the air is expelled from the furnace.

Humidity - The amount of moisture in the air. Air conditioners remove moisture for added comfort.

HSPF - Heating Seasonal Performance Factor. Refers to the efficiency of the heating mode of heat pumps over an entire heating season. The higher the number, the more efficient the unit.

HVAC - Heating, ventilation and air conditioning.

ICM - Integrally Controlled Motor. A specially engineered, variable-speed motor used in top-of-the-line indoor units. ICM motors are more than 90 percent efficient versus 60 percent efficiency for conventional motors. Continuous comfort, quiet operation and ultimate system efficiency are the benefits of the indoor products graced with the ICM motor.

Packaged System - A piece of air conditioning and heating equipment in which all components are located in one cabinet. Used occasionally in residential applications, the packaged unit is installed either beside or on top of the home.

Refrigerant - A substance that produces a refrigerating effect while expanding or vaporizing.

Refrigerant Lines - Set of two copper lines connecting the outdoor unit and the indoor unit.

SEER - Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, a rating that measures the cooling efficiency of a heat pump or air conditioner. The higher the number, the more efficient the unit.

Split System - Refers to a comfort system configuration consisting of components in two locations. Common examples include an outside unit, such as an air conditioner, and an indoor unit, such as a furnace and coil.

Switchover Valve - A device in a heat pump that reverses the flow of refrigerant as the system is switched from cooling to heating. Also called a reversing valve or four-way valve.

Thermostat - A temperature control device, typically found on a wall inside the home. It consists of a series of sensors and relays that monitor and control the functions of a heating and cooling system. Programmable thermostats allow you to program different levels of comfort for different times of the day.

Ton - A unit of measurement used for determining cooling capacity. One ton is the equivalent of 12,000 BTUs per hour.

Upflow Furnace - A furnace that pulls return air in from the bottom and expels warm air from the top.

Zoning - A method of dividing a home into zones, which enables you to control the amount of comfort provided to each.

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Puron^® Environmentally Sound Refrigerant

Puron is the refrigerant of the future, and VALLEY is prepared to help homeowners like you enjoy improved comfort right now with a full line of products utilizing this performance-enhancing refrigerant. You may not realize it, but your existing indoor weather system is an endangered species. That's the result of the 1990 Clean Air Act and the internationally binding Montreal Protocol. These documents call for an international phase out on future manufacturing of the refrigerant R-22, which is currently used in most air conditioning and heat pump systems. In response to this phase out, Carrier has been hard at work assisting in the development of a replacement refrigerant. Extensive testing and a full two years of use in the market place have helped us determine that Puron is superior in performance and energy efficiency in addition to being environmentally sound. These outstanding results have made Puron refrigerant the universally accepted, long-term refrigerant for the heating and cooling industry.


Carrier is the first manufacturer to develop indoor weather products using Puron, the chlorine-free replacement refrigerant for R-22. As companies worldwide race to switch over to chlorine-free refrigerants, Carrier offers the experience of having introduced the first air conditioners with the alternative refrigerant back in 1996. Now, Carrier is expanding its line to offer a wide range of environmentally sound products. Carrier's superior technology enables you to begin investing in your future today with custom made indoor weather systems that are environmentally sound.

A Carrier indoor weather system with Puron refrigerant delivers enhanced energy efficiency, quieter operation and outstanding reliability today while meeting the environmental standards of the future. Puron refrigerant has a proven record of outstanding reliability and has been approved by the EPA for use in the United States. European and Japanese markets are also introducing products using this high-performance, chlorine-free refrigerant.

Carrier's initial central air conditioner using Puron refrigerant shows exceptional reliability, having the lowest incidence of service of Carrier's entire product line. The improved energy efficiency of our line of indoor weather products with Puron refrigerant will result in a reduction of your heating or cooling costs. And, by making the switch to a system utilizing Puron refrigerant now, you may avoid the potentially rising costs associated with servicing or replacing R-22 based systems.

Carrier Indoor Weather Experts have been specially trained and are certified to install and service Carrier products using Puron refrigerant. As you become more aware of the inevitable switch to products with Puron refrigerant, Carrier's Indoor Weather Experts will be able to help you make the right choice for the future: Carrier products with Puron refrigerant.

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Is Puron^® right for you?
If you are thinking about replacing your air conditioner or heat pump, keep in mind that Carrier's Puron-based products offer several homeowner benefits, including:

• Energy Efficiency - Most of our Puron air conditioners and heat pumps offer higher efficiency ratings. Keep in mind that the ratings don't change simply because they are Puron-based products - a 12 SEER rated air conditioner will deliver 12 SEER no matter what's in it. However, Puron's heat transfer properties lend themselves to higher efficiency performance.
• Future cost of service savings - Because of U.S. government restrictions on future production refrigerants with ozone-harming CFCs, the refrigerant used ion most of today's heat pumps and air conditioners will become harder to find and eventually more expensive. Switching to Puron now can help you avoid the potential rising cost of servicing most of today's air conditioners and heat pumps.
• Reliability - Carrier's air conditioners and heat pumps with Puron refrigerant have become the most reliable products in our entire line.
• Quiet Operation - Many of the air conditioners and heat pumps with Puron refrigerant also offer Carrier's Silencer System for quieter operation.

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Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)

Strategies to provide Indoor Air Quality in a Home

Control - Control Humidity in the home with Humidifiers provided by VALLEY. Humidifiers come in fan powered or bypass type with up to 25 gallons per day performance on some models

Filter - Air filtration is very important to proactive IAQ strategies. VALLEY offers a Mechanical Filter add on for higher performance application vs. the standard 1" filter at the furnace an expandable mechanical filter and an electronic air cleaner. Multiple sizes of each of the filter products are available to collect unwanted particles in the air stream

Refresh - VALLEY offers a full line of ventilators, which are designed to bring in fresh outside air and expel unwanted indoor air while recovering energy from the indoor air. Products range from 150 cfm units up to 330 cfm units.

Maintenance

• Have your HVAC system cleaned professionally to provide a cleaner living environment.
• Prolong the life of your filtration system by changing HVAC filters regularly:
    May – September: every month
    October – April: every other month
• Follow an annual maintenance program.

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Air Cleaners

If you thought air pollution was just an outdoor concern, think again. The particles you see in a beam of afternoon sunlight streaming through the window only represent about 1% of the millions of airborne contaminants in your indoor air. Most standard fiber glass-mesh furnace filters only trap about 15% of these particles, leaving the other 85% to pollute your air, your furnishings, even your lungs.

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Mechanical Air Cleaner
A Carrier MECHANICAL AIR CLEANER has a heavy-duty media filter that can trap up to 28 times as many particles as a standard fiber glass filter, including animal dander and plant spores.

Electronic Air Cleaner
A Carrier ELECTRONIC AIR CLEANER can capture up to 95% of all airborne particles -- smoke, grease, bacteria and even many viruses. An electronic model works as a sort of magnet for undesirable pollutants. An aluminum mesh filter catches most of the large particles. The smaller particles pass through an ionizing section, where they receive an electrical charge so they are attracted like magnets to grounded metal plates. The collected particles are cleaned off the plates every few months with a garden hose or by popping the filter in the dishwasher. While the process may sound complicated, electronic air cleaners only use about as much electricity as a 30-watt light bulb.

Air cleaners can improve your health, keep your entire home cleaner, protect your valuable investments and save you the time and aggravation of constant dusting.

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Air Conditioning

In Dallas, air conditioning is a must. With the Texas summer heat, you need the best air conditioning system available. So how do air conditioners work?

Air conditioners look and operate very much like heat pumps with the notable exception that they provide cooling only. While air conditioners and heat pumps do require the use of some different components, they both operate on the same basic principles. This section will explore five topics to consider when you are looking at air conditioners.

• How They Work
• Quality
• Comfort
• Energy Efficiency
• Tips on matching indoor & outdoor coils

For more info scroll ahead, or click above on the subject of your choice.

How They Work
Heat pumps and central air conditioners are "split systems," which means that there is an outdoor unit and an indoor unit. The job of the heat pump or air conditioner is to transport heat either into or out of your home. The "vehicle" your system uses to carry the heat is called refrigerant.

For cooling operation, air from your home passes through the indoor coil. Heat is absorbed from the indoor air and the resulting cooler air is circulated back into your home through your duct system. Heat from your home exits through the outdoor coil.

While it’s keeping you cool, your air conditioner or heat pump also works as an effective dehumidifier. The process is similar to what happens when moisture condenses on the outside of a glass of ice water on a hot, humid day.

For heating, a heat pump basically reverses the cooling process to warm your home during cold weather.

Where does a heat pump get the heat to warm your home when it’s cold outside? Even though 35 F air may feel cold to humans, it actually contains a great deal of heat. A heat pump’s heat exchanger can squeeze heat out of cold air, then transfer that heat into your home with the help of a fan coil or a furnace, which circulates the warm air through your ducts.

Heat pumps are often installed with back-up electric resistance heat or a furnace to handle heating requirements when more heat is needed than the heat pump can efficiently extract from the air. Carrier also offers a Smart Heat accessory package that provides back-up electrical heat in stages. This option allows homeowners to enjoy the energy-saving benefits of a heat pump and still maintain comfortable indoor temperatures as outdoor temperatures gradually drop.

Quality
Purchasing a brand name that has a reputation for quality and reliability can save you headaches and extra expense down the road.

New Carrier air conditioners and heat pumps, for example, undergo 34 quality tests and checks during production, with more than 20 of these being performed on every unit not just on random samples. Ask us about limited and extended warranties.

Comfort
Some air conditioners and heat pumps offer additional features that provide greater comfort (as well as additional energy savings).

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Two-Speed Units
Two-speed units can run on low speed (using 50% of the energy) up to 80% of the time, so they operate more quietly and run for longer periods of time than single-speed models. Longer operating periods translate into fewer on/off cycles, fewer drafts and much smaller temperature swings -- only two or three degrees instead of the four-degree swings common with single-speed units. Plus, better air circulation helps prevent air "stratification" warm air rising to the ceiling and cold air settling on the floor. In short, you get consistent, even cooling throughout your home.

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Multi-Speed Indoor Unit
If you purchase a multi-speed or variable-capacity furnace or fan coil with your unit, you will enhance both the comfort and the efficiency of your air conditioning or heat pump system even further.

Energy Efficiency

• Cooling efficiency for air conditioners and heat pumps is indicated by a SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating, which tells you how efficiently the unit uses electricity.
• Heat pumps also have heating efficiency ratings, indicated as an HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor).

In general, the higher the SEER or HSPF rating, the less electricity the unit will use to cool (or heat) your home. The government-mandated minimum efficiency standards for units installed in new homes at 10.0 SEER and 6.8 HSPF. Most air conditioners and heat pumps manufactured before 1992 had SEER ratings below 7.0 and HSPF ratings below 5.0.

Air conditioners and heat pumps manufactured today have SEER ratings that range from 10.0 to about 17. Heat pumps are available with HSPF ratings from about 6.8 to 10.0.

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Payback
Usually, the higher the efficiency, the more expensive the unit. In Dallas, air conditioning efficiency costs are higher than other regions, but you will probably see the higher cost of a high-efficiency air conditioner paid back (through lower utility bills) in a few short years. VALLEY can use cooling data from your area to help you determine about how long it would take you to recover the additional cost in energy savings. Of course, after the payback, you continue to save on your energy bills for the life of the system.

Tips On Matching Indoor & Outdoor Coils
Your central air conditioning or heat pump system is a split system. That means it consists of two parts: an indoor unit (coil) and outdoor (condensing) unit. Both components are necessary for a working system. So if you install a new outdoor unit, be sure to include a new, equally efficient "matched" indoor unit.

If you don’t replace both your indoor and outdoor units, you won’t be getting what you paid for. In fact, your system could be up to 15% less efficient than stated — and you’ll be less comfortable, too. That's why simply replacing just the outdoor unit isn't a bargain in the long run.

Replacing the outdoor unit but leaving the old indoor unit may offer you the lowest price, but it won’t give you the best value. When your air conditioning or heat pump components don’t match, you’ll be sacrificing comfort. The system may still "work," but it won’t perform up to the promised energy efficiency. Over time, this will cost you more money. When the components aren’t matched, it could create undue stress on your cooling system, resulting in unnecessary, premature failure.

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Fan Coils

The Indoor Component of Air Conditioners.

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ComfortHeat™

Homeowner Reports a Heat Pump Never Felt Warmer

One of the complaints with standard furnaces is that you're either too warm or too cold. That's because a standard furnace warms your home with a series of full-speed-ahead blasts of warm air. When the furnace isn't running, the temperature drops about four degrees before the next heating cycle. ComfortHeat™ Technology maintains temperatures consistently close to your desired setting and can accurately predict the need for additional heating.

Carrier’s ComfortHeat Pump System also delivers exceptional comfort when you cool your home by controlling the humidity as well as the temperature. The results are astounding! It can remove up to 30 times more moisture from your home than a typical cooling system, which will allow you to set the temperature in your home another four to five degrees higher. If you live in a humid area of the country, these higher thermostat settings can save you up to an additional 10 to 15 percent on your cooling bills.
With a fixed capacity furnace, your indoor temperature can fluctuate from your desired setting. ComfortHeat™ Technology cuts temperature swings in half.


Gas furnaces with ComfortHeat™ Technology operate at low heating capacity up to ninety percent of the time. In low capacity, the furnace is quieter and much more energy efficient. Ordinary furnaces can only operate at full capacity, which increases noise and energy usage.

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Furnaces

Gas and oil furnaces provide warm, even heat throughout your home by circulating heated air through ducts. This section will provide insight on four main furnace topics:

• How They Work
• Quality
• Comfort
• Energy Efficiency

For more info scroll ahead, or click above on the subject of your choice.

How They Work
The heat is created by burning gas or oil inside your furnace. Hot gases that are created pass through curved metal tubing called a heat exchanger and then out of your home through a metal or plastic vent pipe. At the same time, the air that circulates through your home passes over the outside of the heat exchanger and takes on the heat from the hot metal. The warm air is then circulated through your home.

Quality
Purchasing a brand name that has a reputation for quality and reliability can save you headaches and extra expense down the road.

• New Carrier furnaces, for example, undergo a rigorous series of quality tests and checks, during production, with many of the tests being performed on every unit - not just random samples.
• We back every furnace in writing, with a 20-year or more limited warranty on the heat exchanger (the heart of the furnace) and a one-year limited warranty on the entire unit. Ask us about extended warranties.

Comfort
Some mid- and high-efficiency furnaces offer additional features that provide greater comfort, as well as additional energy savings.

Two-speed furnaces
Two-speed furnaces can run on low speed up to 90% of the time, so they operate more quietly and run for longer periods of time than single-speed furnaces. Longer operating periods translate into fewer on/off cycles, fewer drafts and much smaller temperature swings -- only one or two degrees instead of the four-degree swings common with single-speed furnaces. Plus, better air circulation helps prevent air "stratification" — warm air rising to the ceiling and cold air settling on the floor. In short, you get consistent, even heat throughout your home.

Variable-capacity furnaces
Variable-capacity furnaces provide the ultimate combination of comfort, efficiency and quiet performance. In addition to the benefits of two-speed furnaces, they offer "smart" motors than can monitor your home’s comfort needs and automatically adjust the volume and speed of air to provide the most efficient heating or cooling. They offer added electrical efficiency as well: the "smart" fan motors on Carrier’s variable-capacity furnaces use less electricity than a 100-watt light bulb. They operate so efficiently that they can actually increase the efficiency rating of your central air conditioning system and offer you added energy savings when you use continuous fan operation in any season.

Energy Efficiency
A furnace’s efficiency rating, or AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency), tells you how efficiently the furnace uses fuel (gas or oil). In general, higher efficiency furnaces mean lower monthly operating costs for heating.

The government-mandated minimum AFUE rating for furnaces installed in new homes is 78%. In contrast, many furnaces manufactured before 1992 had AFUE ratings as low as 60%.

Higher efficiency furnaces offering AFUE ratings of 80%, 90%, or up to 96% are also available to help reduce monthly heating costs.

Payback
Usually, the higher the efficiency, the more expensive the initial cost of the furnace. If you live in a cold climate, you will probably see the higher cost of a high-efficiency furnace paid back through lower utility bills in a few short years. VALLEY can use heating data from your area to help you determine about how long it would take you to recover the additional cost in energy savings. Of course, after the payback, you continue to save on your energy bills for the life of the system.

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Green Seal Program

- Green Seal is an independent organization that sets environmental standards for a variety of consumer products, from light bulbs and engine oil to air conditioning and heating systems. Green Seal establishes standards in order to:

• help consumers understand how they can help reduce air and water pollution
• cut the waste of natural resources
• slow ozone depletion and the risk of global warming
• prevent toxic contamination and protect fish and wildlife in their habitat

Products must earn the right to carry the Green Seal logo, which is a national, independent, third-party certification that cannot be bought; it must be earned.

The standards established by Green Seal incorporate a product's entire life cycle, and cover the following areas, among others:

VALLEY offers a complete family of air conditioners and heat pumps which use Puron^® refrigerant. This product family has earned the Green Seal designation.

Carrier is continuing to develop new equipment designs to take advantage of innovations in refrigerants and other earth-friendly technologies. We are currently working directly with refrigerant manufacturers and other suppliers to provide homeowners with the ultimate combination of environmental benefits, efficiency and value.

For more information on the Green Seal program, contact Green Seal directly at (202) 331-7337.

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Heat Pumps

Heat pumps look and operate very much like air conditioners with the notable exception that they provide both heating and cooling. While heat pumps and air conditioners do require the use of some different components, they both operate on the same basic principles. This section will explore five topics to consider when you are looking at heat pumps:

• How They Work
• Quality
• Comfort
• Energy Efficiency
• Tips on matching indoor & outdoor coils

For more info scroll ahead, or click above on the subject of your choice.

How They Work
Heat pumps and central air conditioners are "split systems," which means that there is an outdoor unit and an indoor unit. The job of the heat pump or air conditioner is to transport heat either into or out of your home. The "vehicle" your system uses to carry the heat is called refrigerant.

For cooling operation, air from your home passes through the indoor coil. Heat is absorbed from the indoor air and the resulting cooler air is circulated back into your home through your duct system. Heat from your home exits through the outdoor coil.

While it’s keeping you cool, your air conditioner or heat pump also works as an effective dehumidifier. The process is similar to what happens when moisture condenses on the outside of a glass of ice water on a hot, humid day.

For heating, a heat pump basically reverses the cooling process to warm your home during cold weather.

Where does a heat pump get the heat to warm your home when it’s cold outside? Even though 35 F air may feel cold to humans, it actually contains a great deal of heat. A heat pump’s heat exchanger can squeeze heat out of cold air, then transfer that heat into your home with the help of a fan coil or a furnace, which circulates the warm air through your ducts.

Heat pumps are often installed with back-up electric resistance heat or a furnace to handle heating requirements when more heat is needed than the heat pump can efficiently extract from the air. Carrier also offers a Smart Heat accessory package that provides back-up electrical heat in stages. This option allows homeowners to enjoy the energy-saving benefits of a heat pump and still maintain comfortable indoor temperatures as outdoor temperatures gradually drop.

Quality
Purchasing a brand name that has a reputation for quality and reliability can save you headaches and extra expense down the road.

New Carrier air conditioners and heat pumps, for example, undergo 34 quality tests and checks during production, with more than 20 of these being performed on every unit not just on random samples. Ask us about limited and extended warranties.

Comfort
Some air conditioners and heat pumps offer additional features that provide greater comfort (as well as additional energy savings).

top..

Two-Speed Units
Two-speed units can run on low speed (using 50% of the energy) up to 80% of the time, so they operate more quietly and run for longer periods of time than single-speed models. Longer operating periods translate into fewer on/off cycles, fewer drafts and much smaller temperature swings -- only two or three degrees instead of the four-degree swings common with single-speed units. Plus, better air circulation helps prevent air "stratification" warm air rising to the ceiling and cold air settling on the floor. In short, you get consistent, even cooling throughout your home.

Multi-Speed Indoor Unit
If you purchase a multi-speed or variable-capacity furnace or fan coil with your unit, you will enhance both the comfort and the efficiency of your air conditioning or heat pump system even further.

Energy Efficiency

• Cooling efficiency for air conditioners and heat pumps is indicated by a SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating, which tells you how efficiently the unit uses electricity.
• Heat pumps also have heating efficiency ratings, indicated as an HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor).

In general, the higher the SEER or HSPF rating, the less electricity the unit will use to cool (or heat) your home. The government-mandated minimum efficiency standards for units installed in new homes at 10.0 SEER and 6.8 HSPF. Most air conditioners and heat pumps manufactured before 1992 had SEER ratings below 7.0 and HSPF ratings below 5.0.

Air conditioners and heat pumps manufactured today have SEER ratings that range from 10.0 to about 17. Heat pumps are available with HSPF ratings from about 6.8 to 10.0.

Payback
Usually, the higher the efficiency, the more expensive the unit. If you live in a warm and/or humid climate, you will probably see the higher cost of a high-efficiency air conditioner or heat pump paid back (through lower utility bills) in a few short years. VALLEY can use cooling data from your area to help you determine about how long it would take you to recover the additional cost in energy savings. Of course, after the payback, you continue to save on your energy bills for the life of the system.

Tips On Matching Indoor & Outdoor Coils
Your central air conditioning or heat pump system is a split system. That means it consists of two parts: an indoor unit (coil) and outdoor (condensing) unit. Both components are necessary for a working system. So if you install a new outdoor unit, be sure to include a new, equally efficient "matched" indoor unit.

If you don’t replace both your indoor and outdoor units, you won’t be getting what you paid for. In fact, your system could be up to 15% less efficient than stated — and you’ll be less comfortable, too. That's why simply replacing just the outdoor unit isn't a bargain in the long run.

Replacing the outdoor unit but leaving the old indoor unit may offer you the lowest price, but it won’t give you the best value. When your air conditioning or heat pump components don’t match, you’ll be sacrificing comfort. The system may still "work," but it won’t perform up to the promised energy efficiency. Over time, this will cost you more money. When the components aren’t matched, it could create undue stress on your cooling system, resulting in unnecessary, premature failure.

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Humidifiers

Controlling humidity cannot only affect how comfortable you feel, it can actually save you money on your monthly energy bills.

Our bodies "feel" heat as a combination of temperature and humidity. In other words, the more humid the air, the warmer it feels. So if you add humidity to dry, heated air in the winter with a Carrier humidifier, you can set your thermostat lower and still be comfortable -- while you save money on your utility bills.

A humidifier can also help prevent dry, cracked skin, make it easier to breathe, protect your woodwork and reduce static electricity. It can even make you less susceptible to sore throats and winter colds.

Carrier humidifiers operate on the basis of a simple concept. Air heated by your furnace or heat pump passes through a ceramic-coated pad in your humidifier, called an evaporator pad. The air absorbs moisture from the water-soaked pad and becomes water vapor that humidifies the heated air that is circulated throughout your home. Most humidifiers feature an adjustable humidistat so you can control the exact amount of moisture in the air. The proper amount of moisture depends on the outdoor temperature and other factors; your owner’s manual has recommendations for the best settings for your conditions.

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Thermidistat^TM Control

Like a thermostat, Carrier's Thermidistat^TM Control helps your heating and cooling equipment maintain the optimal temperature setting with the maximum energy efficiency. In addition, the Thermidistat Control monitors and controls humidity inside your home.

Programmability
The Thermidistat Control offers seven-day programmability, allowing you to select a different temperature for different times of day. Just program your Thermidistat Control once, then relax and enjoy comfort, convenience, and energy savings, automatically, day after day. Reprogramming is only necessary if you wish to change your comfort schedule.

Humidity Control
During the warmer months, the Thermidistat Control monitors humidity levels both inside and outside your home, then works with your air conditioning system to remove moisture that can leave you feeling hot and sticky. When working with a Carrier humidifier, the Thermidistat Control can tell your system when it's time to add moisture to dry, heated air during the colder months.

Energy Savings
One of the most important ways that a Thermidistat Control saves energy is with its setback feature. There are many times in your home when you don't need a normal level of heating or cooling -- when you are at work, or at night when everybody is in bed. You can program the Thermidistat Control to tell our system when it's time to set the temperature back for energy savings, and when it's time to return your home to normal temperatures for comfort. For example, setting the temperature back to 63°F on cold winter nights, you can save as much as 15% on your heating costs. You can save even more by programming your system to "setback" the temperature when your family is away at work, at school, or on vacation. These same "setback" principles apply for summer savings.

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Thermostats

Thermostats help your heating and cooling equipment maintain the optimal temperature setting with the maximum energy efficiency. Today’s electronic models are a vast departure from earlier mechanical styles.

Dring offers two styles of thermostats to meet your needs.

• Electronic Thermostats
• Programmable Thermostats

Electronic Thermostats
Electronic thermostats work in much the same way as older, manual thermostats did. A microprocessor inside compares the thermometer reading of a room’s temperature to the desired temperature you select. Then, it gives start and stop commands to the heating or cooling system to bring the temperature to a level that makes you comfortable. It's up to you to change the settings when you need move comfort.

Programmable Thermostats
Programmable thermostats basically work the same as electronic thermostats with more features for comfort, efficiency and convenience. Simply program the temperatures you need, and the times of day you need them, to stay comfortable and save energy all season. You only need to program it once -- until the season or your lifestyle changes.

Energy Savings
The most important way that a programmable thermostat saves energy is in its setback feature. When you don’t need a normal level of heating or cooling, you can program the thermostat to set the temperature back until the next pre-programmed time when you want normal temperatures. Programming temperatures around 63 F on cold winter nights, when you’re snuggled under blankets, can help you save as much as 15% on your heating costs. You can save even more by programming your system to "setback" the temperature when your family is away at work, at school, or on vacation. In summer, setbacks work much the same way for central air conditioning.

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Ventilators

Every home contains a certain amount of unhealthy gases from a variety of sources — building materials, the earth under your home, your heating and cooling system, and even people, who breathe out carbon dioxide.

While today’s energy-efficient homes do a great job of keeping heated or cooled air in, they also seal in stale, recirculated air. A ventilating system solves the problem of stale air by bringing fresh air into tightly constructed homes without wasting precious energy. HEAT RECOVERY VENTILATORS recover heat energy during the heating season; ENERGY RECOVERY VENTILATORS recover both heating and cooling energy year-round.

Making a ventilator part of your home comfort system is like being able to open a window in every room even on the hottest or coldest days...without the drafts, the humidity or the high energy costs. It’s literally a breath of fresh air.

Here's How They Work
Fresh air is drawn through a pre-filter and into the core. Heating or cooling is transferred into the fresh air which is then distributed throughout the home. Indoor air stays heated or cooled while stale air and humidity, particularly from areas such as bathrooms, kitchens and laundry rooms, are exhausted.
VALLEY ventilators are controlled by a convenient wall-mounted control unit, and have three comfort modes.

• The recirculation mode recycles indoor air continuously and exchanges air only when humidity exceeds the desired level. This setting allows homeowners with baseboard heat to enjoy the advantages of a forced-air heating system.
• The continuous mode, replaces indoor air with fresh outdoor air 24 hours a day.
• The intermittent mode provides the greatest economy, with the unit turning on only when humidity levels exceed the desired level.

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Zoning System

With a zoning system, you can actually divide your home into two, three or four separate "zones" with similar comfort needs. Then, a system of electronic thermostats and electronically controlled dampers automatically adjusts the level of comfort in each of those zones.

A zoning system gives you the same kind of flexibility in controlling heating and cooling that you have with light switches in your home. It doesn’t make sense to waste energy to light a room no one’s using, so you turn off the light switch, right? With zoning you can basically do the same thing with heating and cooling, while increasing your comfort and saving on your energy bills.

Comfort
Zoning is especially beneficial if you have certain rooms or areas that are always warmer or cooler than the rest of the home. You can direct your system to automatically provide more heating or cooling to that area without wasting energy to heat or cool your entire home.

Efficiency
In many cases, proper zoning can result in operating cost savings of as much as 30%. While zoning does not actually increase the efficiency of your furnace, heat pump or air conditioner, it does increase the overall efficiency of your system by directing heating or cooling only where you need it. Plus, since you don’t need extra capacity to heat or cool areas you’re not using, zoning may allow you to install a smaller unit. Smaller-capacity equipment costs less to install and to operate. That translates into even more savings!

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