REMOVES & ELIMINATES
Air pollution, VOCs, surface contaminants, pet dander, odors and dust.

Removes Contaminants
Removes: up to 99% of harmful contaminants on surfaces

Eliminates Contaminants
Eliminates: up to 90% of airborne contaminants.

The Air Scrubber by Aerus® utilizes state-of-the-art technology developed by NASA to create a safe environment for the astronauts in the international space station. This proprietary technology is called ActivePure®, and is the only air cleaning technology awarded the prestigious Certified Space Technology seal of approval by the Space Foundation which was created in cooperation with NASA.

ActivePure® utilizes a proprietary photocatalyst system which creates powerful oxidizing molecules which are safe to humans and pets but which kill viruses and bacteria in the air and on surfaces. Water and oxygen particles enter the ActivePure® honeycomb matrix. While inside, the molecules are transformed into hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) vapor which permeates all exposed areas of your home. These molecules destroy viruses, bacteria, fungi and mold not only in the air but on surfaces such as counter tops, light switches, cell phones, toys and door knobs, preventing cross contamination.

Air Scrubber Benefits

The Air Scrubber by Aerus® utilizes 3 different technologies: ActivePure® to kill viruses, plus ionization to prevent dust, and ozone (optional) to eliminate odors.

ActivePure® virus killing technology has the following benefits:

• Reduces exposure to viruses and bacteria and their effects upon your health and wellness.
• Proven to kill over 90% of RNA viruses on contact by researchers at the University of Cincinnati.
• Also see the efficacy charts from the Kansas State University study. RNA viruses include bird flu, swine flu, SARS, Ebola, MRSA and the common cold. Note: The coronavirus (Covid-19) is
• also an RNA virus, but the efficacy of virus-killing products against this virus have not yet to be tested by anyone in the indoor air quality industry.
• Effective against MRSA, E. coli, C. Diff and other illness causing bacteria and viruses. Also see the Kansas State University study.
• Reduction in sick days and the number of common cold and flu outbreaks.
• Reduction in respiratory issues.

Ionized negative ions have the following benefits:

• Purify air, remove VOCs, and significantly reduce dust particles and odor causing bacteria without using ozone.
• Protect against allergy and asthma triggering contaminants and respiratory issues which may lead to health problems.
• Improved productivity from healthier, cleaner air and surfaces.
• Reduced dust collection on surfaces so you don’t have to dust as often.

Ozone (optional) has the following benefits:

• Eliminates even the toughest odors from your home, including pet and cooking odors.

Here’s How It Works In Your Home

26 U.S. Code § Section 179 states:

“A taxpayer may elect to treat the cost of any section 179 property as an expense which is not chargeable to capital account. Any cost so treated shall be allowed as a deduction for the taxable year in which the section 179 property is place in service.

Qualified Real Property applicable includes heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning property.”

How Exactly Does Section 179 Help Building Owners and Tenants with Commercial HVAC Equipment Investment?

Prior to the recent change in Section 179, all commercial HVAC equipment was considered a capital improvement to the building, and therefore not included in Section 179. This meant that investments in HVAC equipment depreciated over 39 years, allowing for little to no tax deductions for spending on the equipment.

Now, for purchases of new and used HVAC equipment up to $2.5 million, equipment costs can be immediately deducted as a business expense, with a deduction limit of $1 million. This will lead to major tax breaks for building owners and tenants who invest in new commercial HVAC equipment in 2018.

How to Take Advantage of Section 179 Find Upfront Savings

For those considering new high-efficiency HVAC systems, or simply need to replace aging HVAC units, it’s important to take advantage of Section 179 savings before the year is over. Section 179 changes every year. This tax break may not be available in 2019.

This level of upfront savings is hard to ignore. The best way to take advantage of Section 179 while it’s still available is to connect with an experienced commercial HVAC provider. A contractor with a long history of commercial HVAC systems installation can walk you through the details of Section 179 and help you get the most out of the tax break.

Section 179 is a rare opportunity for building owners and commercial tenants. Those who act now to take advantage of this deduction before it’s gone will see huge tax breaks on new commercial HVAC equipment.

If you are finding trouble making a sound choice, the following tips can help you through.

Tip #1 Take References

Getting references from other businesses, colleagues is one great way of coming across reliable choices. It gives you first hand information of the customer service being offered, the quality of work to expect and help quickly come across credible options that would in turn save you time.

Tip #2 Check Out Online Reviews

Online reviews are another great source for digging deep into the potential names. Visit pages like Super-Pages, Yellow Pages, Yelp and Angie’s list to come across relevant reviews. Using your better judgment while reading reviews would provide you information you are looking for to make a worthy choice.

Tip #3 Visit their Website

Reviews alone do not suffice; do check out the website of the contractor. An informative and updated website that caters to the needs of its customers speaks for the credibility of the contractor. At the end of the day, the in-depth pages, videos and blogs would give you confidence in your choice.

Tip #4 Price and Value Comparisons

As HVAC systems are complex, going for cheap prices is not an advisable route to choose. One should go for value comparison instead of making price the prime focus for choosing a HVAC contractor. A commercial HVAC contractor may be offering you low prices and saving you money, but in the long-term you would end up paying more due to poor services.

Tip #5 Go for the Licensed, Bonded and Insured

Make sure to pick on a commercial HVAC contractor with license, bonding and insurance. As these are basic forms of protection offered to the customers, they should not be ignored. Not having a license is an assured sign of trouble and lack of knowledge and credibility on part of the contractor. Whereas, bonding compensates you for stolen items and insurance compensates you for any injuries or damage to the property.

Tip #6 Relevant Experience in HVAC

Your commercial HVAC contractor should have relevant experience in installation, repairs and maintenance of commercial HVAC systems in order to give you good service. Picking on an experienced contractor would save you the trouble of rework, time and money wastage

The most obvious means of increasing HVAC efficiency is by using an energy-efficient system. Newer heaters and air conditioners are not only constructed of more modern materials that improve insulation and reduce electric use, but also feature computerized systems for enhanced temperature control. As such, not only do these systems use the energy they are given more efficiently, but they also allow an unprecedented level of control over the times of day when heating or cooling is used.

Upgrading an inefficient system to a newer, more energy-efficient one is a step that many will not take without incentive. While more efficient systems will save money over longer terms due to lower bills, this is often not enough cause to justify such an expensive upgrade. As such, many state and federal tax credits are available to further encourage such a move.

Information on such credits can vary widely based on where you are located. An online search is the best place to start, with lots of information being made available at the Energy Star website ( http://www.energystar.gov.) Your HVAC contractor is also likely a great source of information, as knowledge of the various tax credits available in your region is a great way to encourage purchases that might otherwise not be made.

Another less obvious source of increased energy efficient heating and cooling is solar power, or more specifically, passive solar energy. With the correct architectural and other considerations, the rays of the sun can be harnessed not only to heat a structure, but to cool one as well. Such use can dramatically slash your need for traditional, electronic systems.

Solar energy’s ability to heat is its most obvious use. Proper placement of windows can admit rays which have a dramatic effect on internal temperatures. In instances where windows are not available, glass tubes can be used to channel rays into other enclosed spaces, offering the benefits of solar heating in rooms without an abundance of natural light.

Solar energy can be used to cool as well. By heating air in certain locations, the sun’s rays can cause the air to rise, displacing it with cooler air. As such, a location can be cooled by the constant replacement of the heated air by cooler, moving wind.

Many other solar techniques are available for heating and cooling. Using solar energy in this way is often more efficient than is converting it into electrical power, a process in which some energy is lost. As such, passive techniques can be used in areas where traditional solar energy use is otherwise impractical.

Spring is a critical time for commercial HVAC maintenance for a number of reasons. As today is the Spring Equinox, the first official day of Spring 2018, it’s important to understand what’s required of commercial HVAC systems come Spring.

In the Spring, pollens, molds, and viruses start to become a serious issue. Spring is allergy season and being exposed to these allergens can cause serious discomfort or even illness for those with allergies. Indoor air quality is vitally important in the Spring, and, fortunately, it’s entirely attainable for anyone willing to put in the effort.

Most Important Commercial HVAC Maintenance Items for Spring

Ideally, every Spring a building will request a comprehensive review of all the HVAC systems. The non-stop, daily use of your commercial heating and cooling system causes build-up over time of contaminants including dust particles, bacteria, and allergens. Out of all the possible maintenance items, duct cleaning or sealing and an indoor air quality assessment are two of the most important tasks.

An indoor air quality assessment is the first step to identifying underlying issues for indoor air quality. Commercial HVAC experts can identify any source of indoor air pollution coming from your HVAC system and propose a remedy for the situation. Without understanding what’s causing poor indoor air quality, you can’t achieve good indoor air quality.

As for duct cleaning and sealing, ducts naturally collect dust and debris, including molds and pollens. Cleaning ducts prevents these potentially dangerous allergens from polluting indoor air. Sealing ducts as needed improves energy efficiency while helping prevent further indoor air pollution.

Benefits of Good Indoor Air Quality

Studies show that good indoor air quality, along with proper temperatures and humidity, reduce illness and sick days while increasing employee productivity and happiness in the workplace. Tenants have a vested interest in good indoor air quality, which means building owners and facility managers should too.

Proper indoor air quality even helps acquire new tenants through referrals from happy tenants, who are more easily retained in the first place if their work or living environment is satisfactory.

Striving towards great indoor air quality makes good business sense. There are many different benefits of good indoor air quality, but the bottom line benefits are some of the most appealing.

Spring is the most important time for duct cleaning and sealing, as well as indoor air quality assessments. With harmful allergens and other pollutants starting to become a serious issue, now is the time to complete your Spring commercial HVAC maintenance items.

Steps for changing your humidifier’s water panel:

• Turn off power to your furnace.
• Locate the panel cover on the outside of your humidifier.
• Slide out the enclosure that holds the humidifier water panel.
• Remove the old humidifier water panel from the enclosure. Dispose of the old panel.
• Insert a new humidifier water panel into the enclosure.
• Make sure the enclosure is inserted securely into the humidifier.
• Close or replace the panel.
• Power up your furnace.

If you are uncomfortable performing this humidifier maintenance checklist, call your local HVAC contractor to perform the maintenance your unit needs to operate correctly this season. The best time to have this performed is when you schedule your heating system’s preventative maintenance tune-up in the fall.

Many homeowners rely on portable humidifiers to add moisture to the air in certain areas throughout the home. These types of humidifiers require more frequent maintenance than whole home humidifiers. Use our portable humidifier maintenance checklist to care for your units this winter:

Get Humidifier Help on Heating & Cooling

Heating & Cooling is the leading resource for all things heating, cooling, and indoor air quality online. We offer a variety of free resources to help you understand and best care for your HVAC systems and components. When you need individualized help for your home’s equipment, use our HVAC Contractor Directory to locate a nearby HVAC company to assist.

A modern furnace has a typical lifespan of around 20 to 30 years. While it is advisable to consider shopping for a new one at around the 15-year mark, there are also plenty of ways to make sure you get the most out of your existing furnace. For starters, be sure you’ve got the breakers and shut off switches properly set. Also make sure you swap out dirty, clogged filters for clean ones that allow for proper airflow.

If you’re just looking to save on your heating bill, one of the most obvious ways is to turn the heat down and wear extra layers. A programmable thermostat can be very helpful too. All you need to do is program the thermostat to drop the temperature when you’re either asleep or at work. You can also seal areas within your home that leak heat, such as doors and windows.

2. YOUR ENERGY BILLS AND EQUIPMENT REPAIRS ARE STEADILY INCREASING

Older furnaces have to work harder to produce heat, and as a result, your energy bills and repair costs steadily increase. Even if there isn’t a noticeable repair that needs to be made, you’ll still come out cheaper in the long run if you purchase a more efficient furnace unit.

3. THE ROOMS THROUGHOUT YOUR HOME ARE DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES

As a furnace gets older, it can become more and more inefficient until it loses the ability to distribute heat evenly throughout the house. As a result, some rooms can be colder than others.

4. YOUR HOME HAS SOOT AROUND THE REGISTERS

A furnace register is a ventilation duct cover that can be opened and closed. Although the terms “register” and “grille” are used interchangeably, registers differ from furnace grilles due to possessing dampers which allow them to control the airflow within a duct.

If you find soot (or dust/rust) around these areas within your home, then it means that your furnace has too much CO2. Difficulty keeping a clean house aside, this can cause excessive dryness which can damage furniture, flooring and plants. It can also cause itchy throats, dry eyes, as well as respiratory issues when inhaled. If you ever see a build-up of soot near your registers, it’s probably time to get a replacement.

5. YOUR FURNACE IS EXTRA NOISY

Furnaces can be kind of noisy, but if that noise gets louder over time, then you may want to consider a replacement. Possible telltale signs can come in the form of:

Rattling: This can indicate unsecured ductwork, loose screws, sheet metal, or even the lower furnace motor not being properly balanced.
Popping: This happens when parts inside of your furnace heat and cool in response to temperature changes.
Humming: Your fan motor is probably going to make a bit of noise, but if it’s to the point of disruption, you might need a furnace blower motor replacement.
Screeching/Squealing: If you hear these noises, you should probably assume your blower motor or inducer is damaged or worn out. It could also be caused by a loose bearing, deteriorating belt, or an issue with the pulley holding the belt.

Yet, when it comes time to make a big change in an HVAC system, some homeowners have switched from a furnace to a heat pump. A heat pump is an electrically powered system that operates on the same principle as a split system air conditioner, and uses the same set of ducts to distribute air. The difference between a heat pump and an air conditioner is a heat pump can work as both a heating and cooling system by switching the direction of operation.

If you’re considering replacing your furnace this year, a heat pump might be on your list of possibilities. But is it the right choice?

The Case in Favor of a Heat Pump

If your home doesn’t use natural gas power and your current furnace is an electrical model, then making the change to a heat pump is a fantastic idea. Heat pumps are also electrically powered, but in heating mode they consume far less energy than a furnace. This is because a heat pump uses electricity to move heat from one place to another, rather than create heat by running a current through heating elements. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a home can save $300 or more annually with a heat pump compared to an electric furnace.

Choosing a heat pump for a replacement is even better if you have an aging air conditioner that’s ready to retire as well. You’ll have your heating and cooling needs taken care of in a single installation. Heat pumps do cost more than either a furnace or standard AC alone, but when a heat pump replaces both, it’s a much more cost-friendly solution.

When you have concerns about using a gas-powered heater because of safety reasons, then a heat pump is also a great choice.

The Case Against a Heat Pump

A gas-powered furnace is much more capable of handling low winter temperatures than a heat pump, which can struggle with efficiency when temperatures drop too low. So if you already have a gas furnace and you aren’t also considering putting in a new AC as well, it’s probably best to stick with a new natural gas furnace rather than chancing to a heat pump. Gas furnaces are still among the most energy-efficienct units available, and with newer technology you can have a high-efficiency unit installed as a replacement that will lower your bills even further.

Duct Cleaning Services

Professional duct cleaning services use specialized blowers, vacuums, and brushes to clean out the supply, intake, and return ducts throughout your home. Duct cleaning should also involve a thorough cleaning of the air handler, registers, grilles, fans, motors, housings, and coils of the HVAC system.

There’s no research at present proving that routine duct cleaning improves the air quality or reduces dust in your home. There is, however, evidence that dirty heating and cooling coils, motors, and air handling units can make your HVAC unit less efficient.

While duct cleaning alone doesn’t seem that necessary, there are cases where cleaning the HVAC unit and ductwork could be useful.

Should I Have Ducts Cleaned?

Due to growing concerns about indoor air quality, it’s easy to convince homeowners that their ducts need cleaning. But unless ducts are really dirty, there’s no reason to clean them. The EPA takes a similar stance on the issue, recommending cleaning only if the ducts and HVAC unit are contaminated.

If done properly, duct cleaning doesn’t hurt; but it’s not something that needs to be on your regular home maintenance list. You probably don’t need to have your ducts and HVAC system cleaned unless:

Renovation: If your home has been remodeled – especially if there was asbestos abatement, lead paint removal, or significant dust – your ductwork may need to be cleaned. Ducts should be sealed off during home renovations; but if they weren’t, dangerous dust and debris may become lodged inside the ductwork.

Animals: If there’s evidence of animal infestation or nesting in your ducts or HVAC system, have the animals removed then clean the ductwork and HVAC unit.
Mold: If there is visible mold growth inside the ductwork, the ducts and HVAC system should be cleaned.

Contaminants: If noticeable debris, pet hair, odors, or other contaminants are being released into the room through the ducts after the registers have been cleaned and vacuumed; then the ducts may need to be cleaned.

Illness: If someone in your family is suffering from an unexplained allergy-related illness, and you’ve taken every other possible step to decontaminate your home, you may want to consider having your ducts cleaned to see if the HVAC system was the culprit.

Now, low refrigerant levels due to an improper initial charge (a mistake that we simply do not make) or a leak is the first issue that most people would associate with refrigerant. It is not the only one, though. Quite often during new system installations, underqualified technicians will fail to properly clean out the AC line sets. This can leave behind a number of contaminants that can cause problems for your AC in Rome, GA. That is why triple evacuation cleaning is the way to go.

Are You Making an AC Switch?

Triple evacuation line cleaning is very important in the event that you are upgrading your old air conditioner to a newer one, specifically if you’re making the jump from an R-22 system to one using R-410A. It should go without saying that any air conditioner is only going to function properly when it is properly charged with the proper refrigerant.

What too many people fail to realize is that even small amounts of residue in the lines can cause problems. Remember, this type of material won’t just evaporate out the way that water might.

Isn’t It Better to Just Use New Lines?

Well, it might be, and in some cases new lines are used. However, there are also a lot of situations in which replacing a line set just isn’t the best course of acction. If the existing lines are running through walls, for instance, it may take more time (and money) to remove them and replace them than it would to properly evacuate them. Plus, even new lines will have to be cleaned out before being put to use.

So How Does It Work?

As you may imagine, triple evacuation requires the evacuation of the line set, well, three times. Does that sound like overkill to you? Just remember that doing a thorough job of evacuating the lines is going to benefit you for many years to come. Believe it or not, leaving even a small amount of residue in your AC line set can result in a breakdown eventually. Following strict guidelines when evacuating these lines is going to give you the best results. Throughout the process, we’ll—

1. Use a blast of nitrogen to flush the line set, monitoring it at both ends so that we can evaluate the progress made.
2. Use a vacuum pump and appropriate hoses to remove any debris and moisture that is left behind.
3. Blow more nitrogen through the line. Then vacuum it out again. Then do another nitrogen flush. Then vacuum it out again. Then another flush. See where the “triple” title comes from?

After this triple evacuation, we can use a digital gauge to ensure that levels of contaminants are below the cutoff level. When the micron count is below this point, the job is done, and you can rest easy knowing that your AC and its refrigerant cycle are running smoothly.