MENLO PARK — A lot of homeowners are interested in lowering their gas bills, especially when it comes to running their heating and cooling systems. One great option for those who have or are planning to install solar energy systems is switching to a high-efficiency heat pump. While converting an HVAC system’s power source from gas to electric would normally be more expensive, if you’re getting your electrical from solar, you stand to save a lot of money.
If you don’t already have a solar energy system, this may seem like merely swapping one expense (gas) for another (the cost of installing a solar system). However, switching to solar isn’t as expensive as you might think. Currently, there are numerous programs devoted to helping California homeowners finance solar energy systems. There are also various rebates and incentives available, such as a federal tax credit. Talk to an HVAC professional to learn more about how solar power can reduce the cost of running your HVAC system.

Heat Pumps for HVAC

Explore the benefits and functions of heat pumps for efficient home heating and cooling. Get expert insights into making the best HVAC decisions.

Heat Pumps for HVAC by Mike Rebholtz

By Mike Rebholtz of {BR} Alternative Heating & Air Conditioning Solutions, Inc.

The Benefits of Air Duct Replacement

Video: Advancements in Heat Pump Technology

If you're thinking about switching to solar power in your home, you'll want to consider installing a heat pump for your HVAC system. Today, we're in Menlo Park with Diamond Certified expert contributor Mike Rebholz of Alternative Heating and Air Conditioning Solutions to learn more.

"I'm here today to talk about heat pumps. A lot of people are questioning, you know, what is a heat pump? What do they do? How will it heat my home? Does it air condition well? Is it efficient?" And I really start talking to people about heat pumps when we're talking about if they have solar and they want to start getting off the grid, or if they're on propane and they don't want to use propane to heat their home, they want to use electricity. 

So when we heat and cool on a heat pump, we're doing it with electricity. They become very efficient; they become a lot more. They produce a lot more heat than they used to. We've gone from an R22 refrigerant to a 410A refrigerant, which means that it can produce 6 to 10 degrees more heat than they ever used to. Efficiencies have gotten much better. They've gone to variable-speed compressors, which are very efficient, and they don't pull a lot of energy Off the Grid immediately; they just gradually come up. And so we find that heat pumps have a really good place here in the peninsula with a lot of people that are doing solar.

To learn more from local top-rated companies, visit our Diamond Certified expert reports at experts.diamondcertified.org.

Video: Assessing Your Furnace Ducts

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If your home's furnace ducks are more than 30 years old, it might be time to consider getting them replaced. Today, we're in Menlo Park with Diamond Certified expert contributor Mike Rebhols of Alternative Heating and Air Conditioning Solutions to learn more.

When you're thinking about getting your furnace replaced, there's a new mandate out now. It's a new Title 24 requirement throughout the whole peninsula. In here, it's the HERS test. It's a duck test that's required where you have to have less than 15 percent leakage.

If your home is over 30 years old, there's a good probability that your duck will need to be replaced. You can look at your ductwork. If it's in the crawl space, you'll see vents on the floor. If it's in the attic, you'll see the registers in the ceiling.

So, to inspect it, see if you got black rings on like yellow or orange insulation. If it's tin duct work, it may have asbestos. It'll be white with tin inside. It's going to be shiny or on the outside like I said have some rust on it, but an expert will know right off the off what it is.

It's expensive to do this duct replacement initially because it may have asbestos removal, but the indoor air quality will improve a hundred percent. You have no you don't have any more of this dust or debris in there. Also, your utility bills will drop 20 to 30 percent. It's just not about replacing your furnace, it's about replacing the airflow.

We can also modify the airflow at doing your duct replacement. We get better airflow to your living room, maybe to a master bedroom, and this is all done with the duct replacement.

To learn more from local top-rated companies, visit our Diamond Certified expert reports at experts.diamondcertified.org.

Mike Rebholtz: Expert Contributor Profile

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