Continuing
the discussion we started several letters ago about “why today’s
technology and HVAC are inseparable”, (You can read the 2 previous letters
by clicking here ), we
should remember that it was just a little over 100 years ago (1902) when Dr Willis
Carrier designed and installed the first air conditioner. However, it was not
until 25 years later (1927), that the first application of residential air conditioning
utilizing a Carrier compressor, was installed.
 We
mention this because the heart of any air conditioner is its compressor.
I t is the most expensive and vital component. Simply defined, a compressor “is
a mechanical pump, driven by an electric motor”…say it again “a
mechanical pump, driven by an electric motor”. Now that’s not so
hard to understand, is it?
It is
usually located inside that big metal box outside your house and it’s
main function is to compress and circulate the refrigerant in your system so
that it absorbs the heat from within your house and discharges it to the outside.
Old-fashioned,
reciprocating compressors, (the kind that was used up to about 15 years
ago) have been the workhorse of the air conditioning industry for over 50 years.
A reciprocating compressor uses pistons and valves much like an automobile
engine to compress and move gas. They have one or more pistons, driven by a crankshaft
that is turned by a motor. We might note that the least expensive condensing
units available today still utilize reciprocating compressors.
Scroll compressors
are now the rage of the industry. And small wonder! Although
the “scroll theory” has been around since the early part of the 20th
century, it is only with the current emphasis on comfort and economy, that these
compressors have come into their own. Here’s why:
Instead
of pistons, valves and crankshafts, scroll compressors
require only two parts to compress gas…a fixed scroll
and an orbiting scroll. And with just these 2
parts, those noisy, high-wear moving parts of the reciprocating
compressor, are eliminated. Bottom line…the scroll compressor
is 10 percent more efficient, is less likely to experience
mechanical failure and operates both smoother and quieter.
As
revolutionary as this scroll compressor is, we will
in Part IV of this series, describer in detail, the latest
improvements to the scroll compressor. As never before, today’s
technology and HVAC are inseparable!
COUNTDOWN ALERT : 34
days remaining:
This
recent excerpt from an Indianapolis , IN publication, tells it
all:
Utilities
Expect High Heating Bills This Winter
“Aug
21, 2005 - (Indianapolis, IN) AP -- After a summer of
record-high gasoline prices, the state's utilities are warning
Indiana residents to brace for a second drain on their wallets
this winter due to rising natural gas and fuel oil prices.”
The
Energy Department recently predicted that heating
costs for homes using natural gas or fuel oil could be 16
percent to 25 percent higher than last year. The agency's
estimate came before the latest spike in crude oil and natural
gas prices. And all this was before
the Katrina hurricane!
Northern
Indiana Public Service Co., the state's largest utility,
also is warning that natural gas prices are at record levels
and likely to remain that way throughout the winter. "We
continue to see dramatic and significant changes in the wholesale
natural gas market, and our customers will see high natural
gas prices through the winter heating season," said
NIPSCO President Mark Maassel. The utility is telling
customers to take steps now to save energy and manage costs
this winter.
How
do you “take steps” to save energy? The
most basic and simplest way is to be sure your system is
operating at maximum efficiency! That’s the whole purpose
of our famous 32 Point “tune-up/check-up” program
that is used each year by hundreds of customers as they get
ready for winter.
Already
you have missed the cut-off dates for the whopping
40% seasonal discount and there are just 3 days left, to
get the 30% discount. You must act today, if you are going
to take advantage of our annual Fall discount schedule. You
can see this sliding scale of discounts and/or make your on
line reservations by clicking
here . You can also see specific definitions of each
of the 32 points we check by clicking
here .
If
reports like these about rising oil prices have you shivering,
even though fall has just arrived, then whether you heat your home
with oil, natural gas, or electricity, our 32 point “tune-up-check
up” to your heating system is the best way to get ready for
cold weather.
The
cost of the "check-up/tune-up" is
a small price to pay for superior equipment performance
that result in lower energy bills and extended
life performance. Remember, THE MAJOR CAUSE
OF EQUIPMENT FAILURE IS INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE.
|
