2023 HVAC Regulation Changes For Homeowners

It’s our job here at Fire & Ice to stay ahead of changes that can affect homeowners’ HVAC systems. One of those changes will take effect on January 2023, and will impact anyone looking to replace or upgrade their HVAC system.

What Are The Changes?

Every 6 years, the department of energy updates standards and regulations for the energy efficiency of appliances, including air conditioning and HVAC systems. One of these assessments occurred in 2017 and the result was a regulation change that impacts all newly manufactured residential and commercial air conditioners, heat pumps, and gas furnaces.

The DOE has increased and tweaked testing standards for these appliances, raising the level of necessary energy efficiency. HVAC contractors will be required to sell and install ONLY the systems and appliances that meet these rigorous standards or risk being out of work.

What Can Homeowners Do?

If you’re looking to replace HVAC parts or the entire system before January 2023, make sure to opt for brands that are compliant with the DOE’s standards – even if it’s not yet required. While you as a homeowner won’t be fined or “punished” for having an-compliant HVAC system, you will undoubtedly save money on energy bills when you upgrade. 

It is important to note that the 2023 requirements only apply to new systems, and existing systems will not need to be replaced if they are already installed and still function. If you’re in the process of building a new home, ensure that your system will be compliant as of the first day of 2023. The best place to start is by getting in touch with our team to talk more about these changes and how they’ll affect you. 

Book An Appointment

At Fire and Ice Heating and Cooling, we strive to provide comfort to one home at a time.  We appreciate and value your business and will do our best to provide you with the best service possible.  We are very skilled at working in the HVAC industry and have many years of experience.  We believe in providing the utmost in customer service and fixing your system correctly the very first time. We also give estimates on replacing heating and cooling systems.  

We provide service on all styles and brands of heating and cooling systems.  We offer service to the following areas: Greensboro, Summerfield, Oak Ridge, Browns Summit, High Point, Jamestown, Kernersville, Reidsville, and Walkertown.

We make every effort to provide the highest level of quality in the HVAC industry.  Also, we pride ourselves on delivering professional and superior service to our customers. Our prices are very competitive as we try to be affordable for all homeowners and businesses.  Our owner’s mission is: “Taking my prior military experiences and providing a quality cost effective service to the Greensboro area.”  Thus, we provide the most ethical and highest quality service you can find in the HVAC business. Our strong commitment to customer service and customer satisfaction has led to relationships with many businesses and individuals like you.

Why You Need An AC Tune-Up

We know you’re busy with your work and your family, so we love to help you find ways to avoid adding home maintenance tasks to your to-do list – like having your AC system tuned up. We know all too well from our own work with Triad area homeowners that this small investment can pay off big. 

AC Longevity

While the specific number varies among manufacturers, traditional air conditioning units can last 15-20 years. That’s nearly two decades you can go without having to invest in an expensive HVAC replacement for your home – that is, of course, as long as you’re doing your part to regularly check and maintain your AC with a tune-up.

Avoid Repairs

If you’ve gone all winter without turning on your AC unit, how will you know if it has a problem when the first hot days of North Carolina summer weather hits? Schedule a tune-up now, when technicians can identify a small issue before you turn it on and run it daily and create an even bigger issue.

Save Money

Dirty, poorly-functioning AC units cost more to run as they have to work harder than poorly maintained systems. Without a professional tuneup, you could be paying much more than you have to in order to run your AC this summer. Not only that, but your indoor air quality (IAQ) could affect your family and trigger asthma and allergy symptoms. 

Seasonal Tune-Ups By Fire & Ice

A Seasonal Tune-up is one of the most looked over tasks that the homeowner does not know about. When a seasonal tune-up is properly accomplished it can help to lower the homeowner's electrical or fuel bill. Seasonal tune-ups need to be accomplished twice a year. Once in the summer and once in the winter – preferably in the beginning of each appropriate season. Do not forget to ask one of our consultants about a seasonal tune-up agreement.

When performing a seasonal tune-up, we:  check the condenser, the evaporator, the compressor, operating temperatures, and the operating pressures of the Freon. If applicable the grease zerks are greased and the belts are inspected. Our service is very affordable and performing this maintenance can save you hundreds of dollars by preventing you from a heater repair.

Off-Season Air Conditioning Replacement

When was the last time you even thought about turning on your air conditioning? It’s likely been a few months – at least since the winter started. While these colder months give your AC a break, it also happens to be a good time to call in the pros for maintenance, repair, and even replacement.

Is it time for a visit from the pros?

Think back to the last time you used your AC. Were your power bills larger than normal? Did you notice any weird sounds or odors when the unit was running? Was your home just not getting cool enough even though the AC was running? It’s definitely time for a maintenance appointment. AC pros will be able to examine your unit and home thoroughly (yes, even in winter!) and offer actionable steps and repair estimates.

Think about replacement? First and foremost, think about the age of your AC or HVAC system. Regardless of what temperatures you prefer inside the house and how frequently you run your AC, traditional systems have a lifespan of about 15 years.  Within the industry, we have what’s called the 5000 rule to decide if it’s worth it to keep repairing an older unit or replace it altogether: Start with the age of your unit and multiply it by the most recent repair estimate. If your total is above 5000, it’s time to consider a replacement.

Can you install an AC system in the winter?

The short answer is yes, of course. Our team can even maintain and repair your system even if it doesn’t need to be replaced! The AC installation process can run just as smoothly in the winter as it can any other time of year. While there’s no financial incentive or discount when AC is installed during the winter months, it could be much easier to get an appointment with our team. New AC units can be fully tested in the wintertime, too, giving you plenty of time to tweak and understand the system before the heat of summer arrives. 

What if I just need a tune-up?

The only way to truly know what kind of servicing and repair your AC system needs is having a pro inspect it. If it looks like your system is in good condition, a tune-up should be enough to give you peace of mind in a few months. When performing a seasonal tune-up, we:  check the coils of the condenser, the evaporator, the compressor, operating temperatures, and the operating pressures of the refrigerant. If applicable the grease zerks are greased and the belts are inspected. 

In addition to seasonal tuneups, Fire and Ice Heating and Cooling is also very skilled and highly trained in air conditioning repair. Whether it is as complicated as a broken condenser or compressor or as simple as a frozen coil, we can fix any problem you may have. If your system breaks down, let us professionally repair it for you and get it back to normal. We can repair any model and any style of air conditioning unit. 

Why choose Fire & Ice?

At Fire and Ice Heating and Cooling we strive to provide comfort to one home at a time. We appreciate and value your business and will do our best to provide you with the best service possible. We are very skilled at working in the HVAC industry and have many years of experience. We believe in providing the utmost in customer service and fixing your system correctly the very first time. We also give estimates on replacing heating and cooling systems.  

We provide service on all styles and brands of heating and cooling systems. We offer service to the following areas: Greensboro, Summerfield, Oak Ridge, Browns Summit, High Point, Jamestown, Kernersville, Reidsville and Walkertown.

Let The HVAC Pros Handle Furnace Repair

While there are plenty of DIY projects you can tackle on your own around the house, furnace repair should never be one of them! Our HVAC team is located conveniently in the Piedmont Triad area and can visit your home in Kernersville, Winston Salem, Greensboro, and the surrounding areas to repair your furnace. You can, however, try to find out what the problem may be based on what the furnace is (or isn’t) doing.

Start With Your Thermostat

Oftentimes, furnace problems start with a thermostat that could be malfunctioning. If your furnace isn’t working, check the settings and/or the battery in your unit -- you may need to replace it. There could also be corrosion or dirt causing problems. If the unit itself needs to be replaced, that’s a job for an HVAC pro.

Is It Overheating?

Dirty HVAC filters can get clogged with dust and debris, making your furnace work harder and putting undue stress on it. This could lead to overheating and long-term damage to your system, and may end up requiring replacement if left for too long without repair. Take this as a seasonal reminder to change your air filter, which is an easy task for homeowners to do, but don’t try to take apart or repair your actual furnace; that’s for us to do.

Damaged Ducts

The heated air that the furnace produces is distributed throughout your home via ductwork. If those ducts are dirty or in disrepair, air can escape through cracks or even fail to reach other rooms in the first place. This is definitely a repair that HVAC pros need to tackle; the average homeowner likely doesn’t have the skills or expertise to pinpoint and repair ductwork.

Preventing Furnace Damage

The first option for preventing furnace issues in the first place is to have one of our trained professionals perform a Seasonal Tuneup. This will help to prevent a heater repair at the most inopportune time. In addition to Seasonal Tuneups, Fire and Ice Heating and Cooling is also very skilled and highly trained in heater repair. Whether it is as complicated as a broken capacitor, condenser or compressor or as simple as a frozen coil, we can fix any problem you may have.

If your system breaks down, let us professionally repair it for you and get it back to normal.  We can repair any model and any style of heater.  Call us if your heating system needs to be maintained or repaired!

HVAC Replacement

HVAC Installations

When replacing your HVAC system; there are a few things to consider.

1. How efficient of a HVAC system do you want. HVAC systems have a Seasonal Energy Efficient Rating ,”SEER”. This number will help you to figure out your annual savings.

2. How much heating and cooling do you need. The size of your house, the direction your house faces, what your house is made of, what geographical location your house is in and the efficiency of your house .

3. What type of heating and cooling system are you needing. Whether it is a Heat Pump, AC with a gas furnace or a ductless system.

   These are a few things to consider when purchasing a HVAC system.

Dryer Vent Cleaning

The most common complaint that is found in a dryer vent cleaning is that the dryer is not drying. The dryer vent cleaning will inspect the dryer vent to insure that it has not failed. Restricted or corroded vents have been some of the problems that are found. Birds do like to make their homes in dryer and exhaust vents. The birds can destroy a vent tubing that is not made of metal pipe. The vents to your house need to have some form of vent protection installed around the vent. This will help to insure that the dryer and exhaust vent functions properly. Dryer vents that are installed properly will help to insure that the dryer and exhaust system functions properly.

Air Purifiers and the benefits

What is an Air Purifier?

Air Purifiers will help to remove contaminates from the air. Depending on what type of Air Purifier is being installed will depend on what type of contaminates are being removed. A properly fitted air filter that is changed routinely is an air purifier. A specialty type Air Purifier would be a UV or a Bipolar Type machine.

Air Filters can come with different functions. One option a homeowner can choose from is how thick of an air filter that would like to use. One inch, Two Inch, Four Inch or Five Inch thick Air Filters are the different thicknesses that one has to choose from. Majority of these filters will only stop larger air borne particulates, i.e. dust particulates. Some specialty Air Filters are impregnated with carbon to absorb organic particulates, i.e. odors.

UV Lights are designed to kill viruses, bacteria. Pollen, and mold spores. are decomposed. With a UV light installed these particulates will be harmlessly removed from the air.

Odor Eliminating shields can be installed with UV lights. These two devices installed together will help to eliminate odors, viruses, bacteria, pollen, and mold spores.

Bi-polar machines adds polarized ions to the air. This will allow the contaminates in the air to collect into large enough particulates that will settle to the ground or to be filtered threw the air filter/s.