Common HVAC Questions from Homeowners in Vancouver, WA

Exclusive Two Year Satisfaction Guarantee

Property Protection & Client Guarantee

Utility Savings Guarantee

$500 No Frustration Guarantee

Total Comfort Guarantee

Replacement “No Lemon” Guarantee

There are a multitude of factors that go into pricing HVAC systems. They have a large price range. Ballpark prices are almost never accurate and without physically being in the home, it is hard to evaluate what the home needs.

Prices range from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars. The best way to receive an accurate price is to schedule a free estimate with one of our Comfort Advisors.

You should start thinking about replacement when your HVAC equipment is 10 years or older. On average, non-maintenanced equipment will last anywhere from 10-15 years. Maintenanced equipment will live about 15-20 years.

Keep in mind you can make a system last as long as you want if you keep repairing and replacing broken parts. Eventually you will have to when it makes more sense to replace rather than repair it.

Performing a heat load calculation is the best way to properly size HVAC equipment. Oversized and undersized HVAC systems are installed everyday simply because companies do not perform heat load calculations.

Oversizing and under sizing equipment can cause complications and negatively impact the life of the system. Schedule a free estimate with one of our Comfort Advisors and we can tell you what size you need.

There are two major types of heating and cooling systems to choose from central and ductless. Central consists of an indoor unit, outdoor unit and ductwork. Ductless normally has a single outdoor unit and either one or multiple indoor units.

Selecting the best system for you can be complicated. In order to choose the right system, we recommend setting up a free estimate with one of our expert Comfort Advisors.

Check out our Rebates and Financing page or set up a free estimate with one of our Comfort Advisors. They can tell you all the rebates, tax credits, and incentives you qualify for

Cooling efficiency is measured by SEER. It stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. Manufacturers are required to make units with 13 SEER or higher.

Heating efficiency is measured by HSPF. It stands for Heating Seasonal Performance Factor. Manufacturers are required to make units with 8.0 HSPF or higher.

Regularly changing your filter and annual maintenance. Filters should be changed according to their specifications. Pleated filters will need to be changed either monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually. If you do not know the life of your filter, give us a call we can tell you.

Annual maintenance is another way you can increase equipment life and efficiency. A certified HVAC technician should be performing an annual tune-up on your equipment.

A duct cleaning is an hvac service we provide that ensures clean ductwork. Dust, dirt, pollen, household mold, animal dander, and other household pollutants are pulled into your duct system every time your furnace runs. We use a duct truck with a portable power vacuum and truck mounted compressor to dislodge debris and cleans contaminants up to 1/300th the diameter of a human hair.

This process performed by our technicians is the most advanced source of removal available. Have filtered “hospital grade” air in your home with a duct cleaning. Duct cleaning is recommended at least every 5-7 years.

We routinely provide service to Vancouver, WA and Portland. We service all of Clark County, WA and we provide service to Longview, WA along the I5 corridor. Please see our service Area map if you have questions about the areas we serve.

A tune-up is a routine maintenance performed on functioning HVAC equipment. An hvac service call is a diagnosis of non-functioning HVAC equipment. A service call often leads to a repair. Tune-ups may or may not lead to a repair.

We have access to all HVAC parts. We have limited stock and do not sell parts over the counter. If you have a part that you need and would like to order you can call the office or bring it in. Once we know the exact part to order we can order it and have it shipped to our office for pick up.

In general the more you spend on a filter the better the filtration and the cleaner your air will be. MERV measures the performance and efficiency of a filter. The higher the MERV rating the better filtration you will receive. MERV ratings range from 16, 11, 8. We carry all three.

Filters are replaced at different lengths of time depending on the type of filter. One inch pleated filters are normally replaced monthly. Four inch MERV 8 filters are replaced every quarter. Five inch MERV 10 filters are replaced semi-annually.

Five inch MERV 16 filters are replaced annually. Not sure what kind of filter you have? Check the label on your filter or give us a call.

You should regularly change your furnace filter. As a homeowner, regularly changing your filter is the most important maintenance you can perform. Second, have a certified HVAC technician perform an annual tune-up on your furnace and/or air conditioner. Also, if your air conditioner looks dirty feel free to rinse it off with a hose.

Sound, performance, and comfort are good indicators of a working HVAC system. Here are some questions to ask yourself:

Does my system sound different than it normally does?

Is it making funny noises?

Am I uncomfortable?

Is it too hot or too cold in my home?

Is my home taking longer to heat or cool than it normally does?

If you answered yes to most of these questions, then your system is probably not working correctly and you should get an hvac service call. Keep in mind, outside weather conditions can also affect your system’s performance. When in doubt, give us a call or shoot us an email and we can help you figure out if your system is not working properly.

A free quote on new equipment takes between 1-2 hrs. Your Comfort Advisor will do a thorough evaluation of your current system including a heat load calculation, which determines if your current system is sized correctly. Then he will discuss what you are looking for in a new system and what options would be best.