Your questions answered: HVAC FAQs

B&D Air Conditioning in Safford can answer all your HVAC-related questions. Before you get on the phone, check to see if we already responded to your question online. If you don’t see your question in this list or want more information on a particular topic, give us a call at 928-432-6018. Our staff can give you the information you’re looking for in an instant.
Just like you need to take your car in to the shop for routine tune-ups, such as oil changes or inspecting probable problems, your home comfort system should receive the same kind of attention. Routine maintenance by a trained technician provides a variety of benefits to your HVAC equipment, which can help your systems perform efficiently and prevent costly breakdowns.
The cost varies depending on the equipment size and different features, so we recommend contacting B&D Air Conditioning at 928-432-6018 to get a quote.
With two-stage heating, furnaces may work on two different levels: high and low. Since you can heat your home on the low setting a majority of the time, a two-stage furnace can work longer and more efficiently. Two-stage heating also operates more quietly than traditional furnaces and can provide more even heat distribution and fewer temperature swings.
B&D Air Conditioning offers a selection of different brands and models that incorporate advanced technology to help heat and cool your home more efficiently. Technology in the newer HVAC systems gives more precision when it comes to matching your home comfort needs. If you want more information, please contact our experts at 928-432-6018.

Depending on how old your previous furnace was, you could experience a host of differences. Furnaces today are created to provide more even and efficient heating than ever before. Modern furnaces also better regulate temperature and air flow, moving more air over the heat exchanger than older furnaces.

Additionally, new furnaces are created to work with other high-efficiency HVAC products, such as air conditioners. The air conditioner blowers offer your heating system an extra lift so it can deliver cool air around your home efficiently. Special features like variable speed motors will also help lessen noise associated with operating your equipment and easily meet your family's airflow needs.

The Department of Energy recently increased the minimum efficiency levels for air conditioners, heat pumps and packaged units manufactured after Jan. 1, 2015, since heating and cooling contributes significantly to a homes total energy usage. The requirements vary by region, so call B&D Air Conditioning for the efficiency standards for Safford.

There are several ways to decrease your energy costs and one of the best ways is to make sure you have an energy-efficient HVAC system. B&D Air Conditioning offers many highly efficient products that will help lower the amount of energy you are using and save you money. In addition to shopping for products that have the Energy Star® certification, high SEER ratings for air conditioners or AFUE ratings for furnaces, here are some other factors to consider:

  • Remember to book regular maintenance and have an experienced technician take a look at your system to ensure its running efficiently.
  • If you have certain areas of your home that you need to heat or cool, you might consider a zoning system. This allows you to target that area and gets rid of wasted energy on heating or cooling areas that aren't used.
  • Programmable or smart thermostats make it a breeze to maintain your home comfort while not wasting energy to heat or cool your space if you aren't home. It is an easy way to lower energy costs and once you set it, you can walk away and understand its going to take care of your indoor comfort.
B&D Air Conditioning has been serving the Safford community for many years and has been offering trustworthy and dependable service. Our service and the products we carry are of the highest quality and you won't be disappointed in the results. Our experienced team is here to help you reach your ideal home comfort.

There are four things to review when increasing your indoor air quality:

  • The indoor air quality in your house starts to suffer when the air begins filling up with air pollutants. The biggest concern is eliminating these pollutants. Some to-dos to add to your weekly checklist is vacuuming, washing your linens and confirming any cleaning products are stored properly.
  • Especially in newer homes, the insulation is installed so well that it might be challenging for these pollutants to leave the home. While it helps to keep your home warm or cool, depending on the season, its important to get some fresh air inside.
  • Make sure that you have good ventilation and schedule routine maintenance on your system. And while that's very beneficial, you can also take your IAQ even further by using air filters, germicidal lights and purification systems to get rid of particles while eliminating chemical vapors.
  • Smart or programmable thermostats can help control humidity levels as well as the temperature. This can help prevent germs and other particles from collecting while preserving your home comfort.
No two homes are alike, which is why we recommend that you contact our team at B&D Air Conditioning to find out which solution will be best for your space. Our team will conduct an evaluation of your current system and discuss what your ideal home comfort looks like. That will help us decide which products will be most effective.
It may come as a surprise that air conditioners don't technically make your home cooler; they actually remove the hot air and direct it outside. This hot air moves across a refrigerant coil on the indoor unit and then is sent to the outdoor unit where it is released. Your air conditioner pushes as much hot air outside as is necessary to reach the temperature you have set on your thermostat.
Minimum energy efficiency standards can vary by geographic location. Additionally, air conditioners, heat pumps and packaged units made after Jan. 1, 2015, have higher minimum efficiency levels than equipment manufactured prior to that date. The team at B&D Air Conditioning can help you determine the minimum requirements for Safford, let you know if your current products meets those requirements or help you find a replacement air conditioner that does.
Your systems service panel has a white label on it, with your systems model and serial numbers at the top. M/N stands for model number and S/N is the serial number.
Since equipment size needs vary by home, the best way to find out the right size equipment for your home is to have a technician from B&D Air Conditioning come out to perform load calculation tests. The tests take factors such as square footage, insulation value and amount, and more into account to determine your homes unique HVAC equipment needs.
Yes debris can limit your systems ability to function effectively. Its normal for heat pumps to have frost or ice on them in the colder months, but many include defrost controls so they can work efficiently regardless of the weather conditions.
When a cooling system uses two-stage cooling, it means that there are two levels of operation. This allows the system to work as efficiently as possible since there is one level for milder weather and one for harsher weather that demands the system work harder. Two-stage cooling also enables slight temperature changes so you don't experience extreme differences in temperature. Aside from better efficiency, other benefits of two-stage cooling include quieter operation and better humidity control.
When your cooling unit freezes up, there are a number of reasons why it could be doing so. The most common reasons include: dirty filters, low refrigerant, a dirty evaporative coil and a faulty blower motor or relay. A dirty filter is something you can change as a homeowner, but the others need to be done by a professional like those at B&D Air Conditioning. Contact them at 928-432-6018 with any additional questions.
B&D Air Conditioning carries a number of great thermostat options for your HVAC systems. The best thermostat for you will depend on a couple variables, such as whether you want one that's programmable or not. No matter what kind of thermostat you'd like or if you're searching for something that can fit with a home automation system call B&D Air Conditioning to hear about which thermostats you can choose from. Our team will help you find one that fits with your system, your family's needs and your budget.
A heat pump takes care of both your homes heating and cooling needs, offering you one HVAC system that can be used in all four seasons. In the warmer months, heat pumps act like an air conditioner, capturing the hot air from inside your home and moving it outside; in the cooler months, this process is reversed. Heat pumps can be very energy efficient and may produce two to three times more heat than the energy it uses.
At B&D Air Conditioning, we do recommend replacing both your indoor and outdoor units at the same time because:
  • Today, outdoor systems are built to work with their matching indoor system for the highest efficiency possible. When you replace only one of your systems, you may not see the same savings on your energy bills as if you had replaced them together.
  • Thanks to technological advancements, newer systems mean better efficiency. This is true for heating and cooling products as well. While the advancements focus on improved heating and cooling efficiency, they also include benefits such as better air handling, filtering and noise reduction.
  • If your heating and cooling systems are over 10 years old, they need to be replaced. Older models have outdated technology that is likely contributing to higher energy bills due to poor efficiency. So by replacing your indoor system at the same time as your outdoor equipment, both your systems will provide better energy efficiency that helps you reduce your energy bills and keep your home more comfortable.
Your home energy system may have a communication module that sends performance stats to an online site or portal. You can visit this to monitor your system's status, the amount of energy being produced and the positive influence you are having on the environment. You can also take a look at your owner's manual for tips on monitoring performance.
Rain will clean the modules automatically in most areas; however, if you live in a dusty area, you could see improved performance after periodically spraying the modules with water. Please note that high-pressure hoses and detergents should never be used to clean solar modules, as they can damage the product.
B&D Air Conditioning can help recommend the right thermostat for you based on your home and current heating and cooling equipment. We have a variety of programmable and nonprogrammable thermostats, which can help improve the efficiency of your homes furnace and/or air conditioner. View our thermostats or give us a call at 928-432-6018 for more information.

A significant portion of your monthly energy costs can be attributed to your heating and cooling system. It makes sense, because our home comfort is a vital aspect of our day-to-day lives. Thankfully, there are high-efficiency solutions from B&D Air Conditioning that can keep you comfortable while also decreasing energy costs. When it's time for you to shop for a new HVAC system, there are a couple things to consider. You'll want to look for air conditioners with high SEER ratings and furnaces with high AFUE ratings. These ratings measure efficiency, so the bigger the number the better off you'll be when it comes to saving on energy costs. You can also consider these tips:

  • Keep your system operating to its best ability by booking routine maintenance. It helps uphold efficiency and make sure everything is functioning properly.
  • Consider a zoning system if you only have specific rooms that need to be heated or cooled. There is no need to consume energy adjusting the temperature in a room that is never, or rarely used.
  • The U.S. Department of Energy states that programmable thermostats can save up to 35 percent on heating costs and 25 percent on cooling costs. There are a lot of programmable and smart thermostat products that are easy to use and vary in the type of features-so you can find an option that you are comfortable with.
A zoning system allows you to section your home and heat or air condition each area differently. While these systems operate well for homes that have areas that are rarely visited, they can also be helpful in situations where you and your family cant agree on the temperature in different portions of your house. There are a number of additional bonuses of zoning systems, like efficiency and comfort. Look through our selection of zoning systems or give B&D Air Conditioning a ring to see how a zoning system could fit in your home.