Swapping Evaporative Air Conditioning to Reverse Cycle (HVAC) Air Conditioning - A Complete Guide

People often want to know whether they can change their existing ducted evaporative system over to a new ducted reverse cycle (HVAC) air conditioning system by using all the same ductwork and outlets. The simple answer is no. Below is a list of reasons as to why you cannot simply change the system over to become a reverse cycle (HVAC) system.

Firstly, reverse cycle grilles (or outlets) are usually placed near windows and away from the doors. This allows the air to condition the heat/cold that comes in directly through the windows. The airflow for a reverse cycle system should also take the longest route back from the outlet to the return air grille. If an outlet was placed next to a door, the air would simply be sucked back underneath the door towards the return air grille and the room would have hot spots near the window.

The problem with evaporative grilles is that they are usually located by the doorways. The evaporative units airflow should take the longest possible path through a room and out of the window. If they were located right next to a window, the air would simply flow out the window and hot spots would be caused near the doorways and in the far side of rooms.

Due to these reasons it is not advised to place reverse cycle grilles in a same spot where a ducted evaporative grille was previously located. Although it is possible to do it will severely lessen the effectiveness and capacity of the system. The best option is to start fresh and put the new reverse cycle grilles in the correct desired location as required. However, this would mean you would need to patch and paint the holes in the ceiling left by the removal of the old evaporative grilles and this can be a costly job.

Another option would be to add extra grilles as needed. You can consider leaving grilles near the doorways from the evaporative system and add extra grilles by the windows if needed.

Another problem encountered when swapping the systems over is that the old ducting cannot be used. The ducting used for evaporative units is far larger than that required for reverse cycle ducted air conditioners. Evaporative units use ducting around the 16-20 inch mark. This large size duct is used by evaporative air conditioners as the air is extremely fast blowing and it aims to draw in air to the amount of 40 times the cubic area of your house per hour. Reverse cycle ducting is mostly only around the 12 inch mark in diameter. This is because reverse cycle air conditioning is far slower moving than it's evaporative counterpart.

Evaporative ducting is also usually only slightly if at all insulated. Reverse cycle ducting should always be insulated by a minimum of 2 inches to preserve the cooling/heating and to prevent condensation from occurring.

So if you want to swap your current evaporative system over to a new reverse cycle ducted system, you are best to start from scratch. Be sure to get quite a few quotes for the cost to patch and paint the ceiling before starting any work. And if air conditioning contractors tell you they can simply swap a system over using the existing duct and outlets, ask lots of questions and be wary as they may not be around to help you out once you have paid good money and your system is not working effectively.

In some cases using the existing grilles can be an option, but it would make the system less effective.

Toshiba Air Conditioning Units

Toshiba's exceptional air conditioners have won 14 environmental awards as well as an abundance of recognitions and certifications for being not only powerful and energy efficient but for having minimal impact on the environment as well.

Toshiba has been a leading competitor in air conditioners for 30 years. They thoughtfully and carefully design each and every one of their products to keep their consumers comfortable in even the harshest climates while maximizing energy savings and maintaining air quality.

The creation of their DC Hybrid Inverter was really something special and very much welcome in the world of air conditioners. Toshiba managed to incorporate inverter technology into air conditioning units, allowing them to be controlled by a modifying current frequency. What this means to you is ano fuss appliance that you turn on and do not have to constantly re-adjust because the variations are controlled in the unit's core.

Toshiba Split Inverter Air Conditioner ECO1208 SD Premier 3.5kW

These units are a top choice due to their A/A energy rating as well as their plasma air filter. This is a 12,000 BTU air conditioner that features Eco-friendly refrigerant, remote control with night light, digital displays that are extremely easy to read, 24-hour sleep timer and special air vane technology. These Toshiba air conditioners come with a copper pipe kit that is 10 meters long, making them very simple to install.

Toshiba 3.5kW Inverter

This is another very popular 12,000 BTU air conditioner that features their coveted inverter technology. The Toshiba 3.5kW Inverter has an A/A energy efficient rating and can be easily installed to any exterior wall of your home. The external unit is then mounted outside of your house to keep the noise out where it belongs. With these units, you never have to worry about coming home and having an uncomfortable climate if you happen to lose power during the day because it has an automatic restart. This is a very important feature to have if you have pets that are left home alone so they don't become overheated. It also features a wireless remote and 24-hour timer. While this model is pretty quiet, there are other Toshiba air conditioning units that are quieter.

Air Conditioning Window Units

Air conditioning window units have been used in residential homes for many years and are very popular. They are designed to fit in a window of a room and hence do not take up a lot of space, and can fit in just about any room. They function as any other air conditioner does, they are very affordable, do not make a lot of noise and are also long lasting. Air conditioning window units contain two coils, a hot coil and a chilled coil which is fitted to two fans. Air is blown over the coils by the fans; the coil then pulls the heat and humidity from the room and releases it outside. As result the room is made to feel clear, cool and humidity free.

The ability of these units to cool a room can be judged by its British Thermal Units (BTU). The BTU of the window unit that you require will however depend on the size of the room that the unit will be placed in. The bigger the room, the greater the number of BTU the room will require. As a result, a normal sized AC with a small BTU, will not be able to cool a large room. In addition, buying a really large window unit with a high BTU for a small room will also not be effective or efficient. This will result in the room being too cold even in the lowest or warmest setting of the air conditioning window unit.

The energy efficiency ratio is another feature of these kinds of units which is crucial to its operation. This number gives an indication of how efficiently the air conditioner will convert electricity into cool air. As a result, the higher the EER, the more efficiently the unit will use the electricity and the lower will be you energy bill. However, the higher the EER of the air conditioner window unit, the more expensive it will be. As a result you will need to choose wisely, if you plan on using the a/c unit everyday then it will work out cheaper in the long run to choose a high EER, however if your usage of the a/c unit will be seasonal, a low EER will be just fine.

The affordability of air conditioning window units makes them advantageous over other types of A/C units. They are both cheap to buy and operate. Also they are simple to maintain, almost at no cost to you. Most air conditioning units contain a filter which is made of fabric with holes that can easily be removed from the unit and cleaned. While those without a filter can be cleaned externally with a cloth, others may have a disposable foam filter. Air conditioning window units are especially great for the bedroom, study or any averaged sized room. They have a manageable weight, making them rather versatile. As a result they can be affixed into the window when needed and then removed when not in use or when you so desire. Also, due to the small and compact size of air conditioning window units, they are also easy to pack away when they are not being used.

The Necessity of Good Air Conditioning Services

One of the first things that should be looked for even before purchasing an air conditioner is the service. When it comes to electronic appliances, most homeowners have limited knowledge about the functioning of these appliances and in case something goes wrong, it would be necessary to get the help of a skilled service provider. Even though you might have some knowledge about the functioning of electrical devices, when it comes to air conditioner, repairing work is better left to the professionals.

Service Providers

Fortunately, there are some good air conditioning services Houston available which have the expertise in handling this type of problem. The most important thing here to consider is that the service provider should have expertise in the area. A good service provider would have enough knowledge and experience and would have come across different types of problems related to air conditioners. For this reason, they would be well equipped to solve almost any type of problem with ease.

Air conditioner service Houston which have enough knowledge would be able to provide cost effective and prompt solutions to any type of problems. A good service team should be able to tell you just what the problem is and what would be needed in order to solve that problem. Always go for a service provider that is credible and has good client feedback. The rates should also be at par with the market. The services provided by air conditioner service Houston of your choice should be able to provide you with prompt services after sales without expensive bills for repair.

Service Contracts

Another great way to ensure that the services for the air conditioner come out to be effective and cost effective is to go for a contract. Depending on the type of system which you are using, the cost of such a contract can vary. Service contracts are provided by almost all service providers today for all types of equipments.

Also, one of the biggest benefits of having a service contract in place is that service providers tend to give more importance to their contract clients and therefore ensure that they provide prompt and top quality services whenever they might be needed. There would also be a provision for annual maintenance which is a good way to ensure that the machine is serviced and is kept working in good order.

When it comes to air conditioners it is necessary to ensure that the compressor never faces a problem since it could lead to serious damages. Also, quarterly check ups would be required to see if the temperature provided by the machine matches up to the requirements of the owners. Also, homeowners themselves will have to take care of a few things in order to ensure that their air conditioners are not damaged because of their own fault.

While selecting service providers for repair or for contracts, always ensure that you read their terms and conditions for services so that there are no problems later on. Good maintenance would ensure that the unit keeps functioning efficiently for years.

Productivity and Leadership Insights from George David, CEO and Chairman of United Technologies

What brought about the transformational change and growth that United Technologies (UTX) has experienced under the leadership watch of George David? Since 1992 the Company has produced total shareholder returns of 338%, international revenue grew from 25% to 60%, market capitalization grew from $6B to over $72B, operating income margin grew from 5% to 14%, and EPS grew over 105% in the last five years.

In a recent speech as a guest of the MIT Dean's Innovative Leader Series, George provided insights and shared how the company has been able to sustain productivity improvements between 5-7% per year. He remarked that "there is no force more powerful in business than productivity, and it is the reason why UTX and the stock market in general have done so well..."

Some clear examples of world class productivity improvement at UTX include:

• The Carrier business unit production of air conditioning units grew from 3 million to 11 million in the last 12 years with a workforce increase of only 9%.



• Otis Elevator experienced a threefold increase in the number of elevator installations, and associated maintenance services agreements doubled in the last 12 years with a workforce increase of only 25%.



• At Pratt and Whitney airplane turbines were built in batches in dirty plants in the 1990s. Today sequential manufacturing reminiscent of mass production days has been replaced by lean manufacturing where work is done in spotless plants in single cells. This eliminates hand offs, inventory between adjacent steps, and quality inspection is moved upstream instead of inefficient end of line processes.



• In 1968 Mean Time between Failures (MTBF) for 747 aircraft turbines was 2,500 hours at Pratt and Whitney. Airplanes flew an average of 5,000 hours a year, so the planes were designed with four engines. Today MTBF for a 777 turbine is 170,000 hours, and the planes are designed with two turbines only. MTBF went from 6 months to 34 years. Yes, you read it right!



• In the area of energy consumption, UTX has more than doubled in size in the last nine years, yet its energy use is 18% less.

At the core of the productivity transformation is the operating system of United Technologies known as Achieve Competitive Excellence (ACE). The main thrust of ACE is built around the belief that every person should be involved with continuous improvement, from top executives down to the most junior of workers. It is also required that managers lead by example and that everyone is committed to the ACE philosophy. Part of the ACE operation system is a philosophy that concentrates not only on process improvement but places equal emphasis on the human element. Such methodology appears to be a customized version of TQM, ISO 9001, and Lean Six Sigma that has apparently worked exceptionally well for UTX.

George offered a strong opinion on how to solve the Global Warming crisis and dependence on Middle East oil. He commented that energy conservation is the best near term solution, since promising technologies like the hydrogen economy are two or three decades away. Capturing energy that goes up the stack of central power plants, and implementing proven energy management measures can have significant near term impact on the carbon footprint of all commercial, industrial, and residential applications.

In the area of leadership George stressed that he won't be writing a book any time soon, but had figured out what works after thirty years plus of practice. Here are some of his leadership beliefs:

• If you have more ambition than energy you are doomed.



• Relentless constancy of purpose is fundamental (quoting Deming).



• Education is a force that changes lives and makes people better.



• Bring solutions with your problems to your leaders.



• Work downward not upward. Give your leader the courtesy to judge your work without your help.



• Principled people are predictable. Unprincipled people are unpredictable.



• Intergalactic forces are at work. Belief that circumstances and luck do play a role sometimes, and that he was the beneficiary of such forces in his career.

In building an excellent brand the market and customers notice what is great about the products and services offered. Typically customers won't give you and edge on pricing, but they will give you a last look. United Technologies under George David has received and unfair share of last looks and the Company projects operating income margins to grow from the current 14% to 18% or better in the next few years. Is it time to buy some UTX stock on a momentum strategy?

Energy Audits and Commercial HVAC Services

In addition to your next scheduled industrial air conditioning service, consider requesting an energy audit as well. You spend money on commercial HVAC services regularly to ensure your HVAC system is running smoothly and not using energy inefficiently. Yet how much of that heated or cooled air is simply escaping out of the building? If your building has energy leaks, you're simply throwing away the money you spend on air conditioning service and heating service. If your HVAC system seems to be doing well each time you have an industrial air conditioning service inspection yet your energy bills seem a bit high, energy leaks might just be the main culprit.

Although energy leaks are mainly discussed regarding loss of heat during the winter months, it can also negatively effect the indoor temperature during the hot summer months of the year as well. A building energy audit is one of the most important commercial HVAC services you can invest in. It can detect exactly where in your building is lacking insulation and sealing. It can also show how to conserve money spent on hot water and electric bills. Heating and cooling a building which has not been properly weatherized is like trying to regulate the temperature in a room with an open window. To achieve a comfortable temperature, you have to spend a considerable amount more on heating and air conditioning service than if the window was closed.

Weatherizing a building is very affordable when you take into consideration how much money you'll be saving over time in heating and air conditioning. In order to determine what your building's specific weatherization needs are, a building energy auditor will use a blower door to see how much air escapes through a door and how tightly sealed the building is. Using a calibrated blower door can tell you and the building energy auditor exactly how much air is escaping. The blower door should also be used after the building is weatherized to ensure air is no longer escaping. Other tools which can be used to detect energy leaks are infrared cameras and infrared thermographs, which can show the temperature differences in areas of a building. By showing you where the hot and cold spots are in a building, you can then determine where your energy from your commercial HVAC services is leaking. These tools should also be used once again after the home has been completely weatherized to ensure maximum effectiveness. HVAC ducts should also be inspected for leakage and should be sealed in order to prevent energy losses.

Energy losses are common for any building. In homes, the largest energy leaks are usually attics and chimneys. Basement joists and plumbing can also be sources of lost energy. To prevent wasting more money on heating and cooling a building with minor leaks, be sure to close all doors and windows as tight as possible. Using a high efficiency boiler and chiller can help reduce any energy costs. Even minor fixes such as installing gaskets behind switch plates and electrical outlets can have an impact on lost energy.

Heating and Cooling Your Log Home

Needless to say, our forefathers didn't worry too much about heating their log cabins. Big fireplaces had no problem warming up the one or two rooms they lived in. Of course now that log homes are family-sized, people often have the impression that there is something different about how they are heated, and the good news is that a standard system will work as well in a log home as a traditional structure.

Almost all log homes are built with at least one fireplace. Initially, we thought that our beautiful soapstone woodstove would heat the whole house, and we would use our forced-air propane heat as a backup. Alas, we were all wrong. Because we have a cathedral ceiling with a big loft, the heat from the stove goes directly upstairs, requiring two ceiling fans to recirculate the warm air. We expected this, but we also thought the heat would expand sideways into the rest of the open floor space (dining room and kitchen). Not on your life! Even sitting on the couch about 15 feet from the stove, I need a coverlet. I'm uncomfortably chilly in the kitchen. I think that if we had a regular ceiling, the heat might have gone where we expected it, but the volume of the cathedral ceiling threw off our calculations. Also, the soapstone stove is designed to be run 24/7, and because we both work for a living, the stove doesn't get fired up until the evening. This woodstove needs to be heated up slowly at the risk of cracking the stone, so by the time it's really cooking we're ready for bed.

Old-fashioned fireplaces traditionally sucked all the warm air out of the room, but modern designs are more efficient at recirculating the heat. The most energy-efficient fireplace is built in the center of the house, so the stack heat is not lost to the outside. Outside stacks can create back drafts if the fire is extinguished, making a new fire more difficult to light. If you are planning multiple fireplaces, putting two of them back-to-back (facing adjoining rooms) will give you the opportunity to build one chimney with two flues. Or you could put a fireplace above your furnace, again allowing two flues in the same chimney. A direct-vent fireplace will eliminate the chimney, but you'll have to figure out how to hide the vent on the outside wall. Or, if you use a wood-stove, you could run the pipe through the wall and straight up the outside, building a box around the pipe to simulate a chimney. Depending on the look you want, you may want to leave the pipe inside the room and send it through the roof. This will give more heat.

It's a good idea to consider your heating and air-conditioning needs early in the design phase. Although log homes are naturally energy-efficient, it's not wise to skimp on your system. You may be able to heat your whole house with a huge fireplace or wood stove, but the township will probably have minimum standards to meet before they issue a building permit. Also, you need to consider resale value. I know of one person who tried to sell a million-dollar handcrafted log home without a furnace, and as you might suspect, the buyer never came along. The house was listed as unfinished, and installing the heating system after the fact was too daunting a task. A similar problem exists if you try to get away without central air conditioning. Yes, log homes do stay cooler in the summer, but those "dog days" of August can give you a perfectly miserable night's sleep, and a potential buyer will probably not be as tolerant as the original owner. Indeed, our mortgage company would not consider granting a construction loan if we didn't include central air conditioning.

If you want to preserve ductwork space, you can use forced air heat, with the same ductwork serving the air conditioner. Propane or oil are usually the fuels of choice in rural areas. If your interior wall space is limited, there are companies that specialize in very small, high-pressure duct systems that fit into tight angles; these systems usually require a much higher initial installation cost. When using traditional ductwork, you want to keep the angles at a minimum, so it helps to design first floor walls that will conveniently carry the air straight up to the second floor. An open floor plan offers a challenge, because you must bear in mind that the upstairs rooms need to be heated somehow, and you will need both supply and return vents to create an efficient air flow. If you want to use full log interior walls, you'll have to find another way to run the ductwork, electric, and plumbing. We made that mistake, and there are not enough return vents in our bedroom. The air is stuffy in the summer time, even with the windows open.

Where do the vents go? Since all our exterior walls are full log, many of our vents were placed in the floor. If your interior walls are sheetrock or tongue-and-groove, you can put the vents where they normally go. One thing I wish we had done was go over the plan with the HVAC contractor, because he put the vents in places I found most inconvenient. Some times it can be helped, and some times it can't.

If you are energy-minded and prefer to leave your thermostat at a minimum, you will find that the southern-facing side of the log home tends to be warmer than the northern exposure. Because the sun tends to sink closer to the horizon on a winter afternoon, it's advantageous to arrange your large windows facing south; during the summer, the sun will cross over the roof, so it won't overheat your house. However, you may find that the northern side of your house - which won't get direct sun at all - could be noticeably cooler. The best solution is to install radiant-floor heating (if you can afford it). Although this system requires a boiler instead of a furnace, the in-floor heating spreads the warmth evenly throughout your home, eliminating the northern-facing blues. With radiant-floor heating, you need to keep the thermostat steady all the time; the system is not designed to be turned down when you go to work. Additionally, you can use the boiler to heat your hot water as well, eliminating the need for a hot-water heater. On the other hand, you will still need to install ductwork for the air conditioning.

Overall, the same considerations apply as in regular construction. We thought we could get by with only one zone of heating and cooling, but in retrospect, two zones would have solved a lot of problems. In the long run, it's cheaper to do it correctly in the first place. Retrofitting a log home is not going to be a breeze!