Goins Heating & Air Conditioning FAQs

Energy-efficient heating and cooling systems can help you save money on your energy bills. Not only that, they benefit the environment as well. Both traditional and alternative energy systems can be energy efficient. If you'd like to learn more about energy-efficient systems, click on the link.

Home AC units carry a rating called SEER which stands for seasonal energy efficiency rating. All AC units carry these ratings so homeowners can understand the efficiency of their system. You can calculate this rating yourself with some basic information. Air conditioning systems with a high SEER figure are more efficient than those with lower ratings. Most AC systems are electric; you will need your electricity bill to help you calculate the SEER rating for your unit.

Read more about SEER ratings here.

Yes and No. It depends on what type of unit you have and if you want to be there when the unit is being serviced. If you have a split system, yes, you will need to be home because our technician will need access to the inside of your home. If you have a package unit, you do not need to be home to have the unit serviced.

Yes, but it should go through a defrost cycle at least every hour of run time and thaw it out.

The split system heat pump is a heating and air conditioning system that is divided between an outdoor unit and an indoor unit. The two units are connected by copper refrigeration lines. The outdoor unit houses a coil that acts as a heat exchanger and compressor. The indoor unit houses a coil and a fan. The fan housed in the indoor unit circulates air through the home’s duct system. The refrigerant acts as a heat absorber as it passes through the coils (indoor unit and outdoor unit). Heat is absorbed from the air by the refrigerant, thus moving the heat stored to either the indoor or outdoor coil.

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) package unit heaters are single packaged air conditioners with heat designed for outdoor installation on a rooftop or on a slab. Package units are completely assembled at the factory and include all the piping, refrigerant charge, and electrical wiring. HVAC package units just need connections for the ducts, electric, fuel source, and condensate drain at the site. They aren’t suitable for use with conventional venting systems. However, many of the same considerations come into play when troubleshooting.

To learn how to troubleshoot an HVAC package unit heater, please click here.

A heat pump is one unit that functions for both heating and cooling. The air-conditioning system will be idle during the heating season, and the furnace will be idle during the cooling season. Since a heat pump must do both heating and cooling, it runs year-round.

A heat pump can provide energy and cost savings compared to conventional heating and cooling systems. In moderate climates, the installation and purchase costs of a heat pump can be less and will produce substantial savings to the homeowner over the lifespan of the equipment.

Click here to learn more about the differences between a heat pump and a heating and cooling system.

A gas pack heating and cooling system is one where the air-conditioning and the heat pump are housed in a single unit. Gas packs combine electricity for cooling and are powered by natural gas, oil, or propane for heating. These systems are simple to maintain, and repairs typically are easy and cost-effective.

Read through this comparison between electric and gas pack heating and cooling systems.

A dual fuel system is a good system, especially in areas of the country where it gets below freezing but not for extended periods. The main advantage to this system is that it operates by using an electric heat pump with a natural gas, propane, or oil furnace. This HVAC system is comprised of a heat pump and coil, which is connected to a gas furnace.

This system features an outdoor thermostat that tells the system which of the two heating devices needs to be running. When heating, the thermostat tells the system to run the more efficient of the two systems. Above freezing, the heat pump runs and the furnace runs when the temperatures get below freezing. The cooling part of the system works in the same fashion.

Learn more about the different types of HVAC units.

The Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rating is for gas furnaces. The AFUE rating calculates the rate at which the gas furnace converts gas to energy. A high AFUE rating means the gas furnace quickly converts gas to energy, meaning it runs more efficiently than gas furnaces with lower AFUE ratings.

For more details about gas furnaces, click on the link.

When an air conditioner stops cooling on a hot day, the results are felt by everyone inside within a few minutes. As the sweat beads begin to form on your brow, you’ll begin to realize you need to find the cause very quickly so you can make yourself and your family comfortable again. A few different reasons exist as to why an air conditioner stops cooling. The problems range from very simple things that you can fix by yourself in a moment to others that may require the help of a professional HVAC technician.

Read about the reasons why an air conditioner stops cooling here.

We recommend having your unit serviced at least once a year.