Your questions answered: HVAC FAQs

No matter what your HVAC questions are, the techs at B & G HVAC in Marshalltown have answers. Whether you have questions about picking new HVAC equipment to best practices on care and maintenance, we are here to help. Our online FAQs answers provide a rapid response for your convenience, but if you want to know more on any topic, don’t hesitate to give us a call at 641-316-3360.
Like any product you want to keep in good shape, HVAC equipment requires proper care in order to provide the greatest benefits. Trained professionals can service your heating and cooling products to ensure they're working at their maximum potential and help prevent more expensive repairs in the middle of the hottest or coldest months of the year.
The cost can range depending on the equipment size and different features, so we advise contacting B & G HVAC at 641-316-3360 to receive a quote.
With two-stage heating, furnaces may work on two different levels: high and low. Since you can heat your home on the low setting a majority of the time, a two-stage furnace can work longer and more efficiently. Two-stage heating also runs more quietly than traditional furnaces and can give you more even heat distribution and fewer temperature swings.
B & G HVAC offers many different brands and models that include advanced technology to help heat and cool your home more efficiently. Technology in the newer HVAC systems gives more precision when it comes to matching your home comfort needs. If you would like more information, please contact our experts at 641-316-3360.

Modern furnaces are created with a variety of innovative features older furnaces don't have. Todays heating systems offer more even heating and are better at regulating airflow. Although the air coming out of your vents may seem cooler than your old furnace, the airflow is much better and more efficient.

Another benefit of modern furnaces is their ability to integrate with other HVAC products as part of a high-efficiency whole home comfort system. When combined with a high-efficiency air conditioner, furnace blowers can more easily accommodate add-on cooling. Other innovations, such as Precise Comfort technology and variable speed motors, will help your furnace run more efficiently and quieter than ever.

The Department of Energy recently increased the minimum efficiency levels for air conditions, and the standards vary by region. Contact B & G HVAC at 641-316-3360 to learn the requirements for the Marshalltown area.

There are many ways to decrease your energy costs and one of the best ways is to make sure you have an energy-efficient HVAC system. B & G HVAC offers many highly efficient products that will help decrease the amount of energy you are using and save you money. In addition to shopping for products that have the Energy Star® certification, high SEER ratings for air conditioners or AFUE ratings for furnaces, here are some other factors to consider:

  • Remember to book ongoing maintenance and have an experienced technician take a look at your system to confirm its running efficiently.
  • If you have certain areas of your home that you need to heat or cool, you may want to consider a zoning system. This allows you to target that area and gets rid of wasted energy on heating or cooling areas that aren't used.
  • Programmable or smart thermostats make it easier to maintain your home comfort while not wasting energy to heat or cool your space if you aren't home. It is an easy way to decrease energy costs and once you set it, you can walk away and know its going to take care of your indoor comfort.
B & G HVAC has been assisting the Marshalltown community for many years and has been offering trustworthy and dependable service. Our service and the products we carry are of the highest quality and you won't be disappointed in the results. Our knowledgeable team is here to help you get your ideal home comfort.

There are four things to review when improving your indoor air quality:

  • The indoor air quality in your home starts to suffer when the air begins filling up with air pollutants. The biggest concern is getting rid of these pollutants. Some to-dos to add to your weekly checklist is vacuuming, washing your linens and confirming any cleaning products are stored properly.
  • Especially in newer homes, the insulation is installed so well that it might be difficult for these pollutants to leave the home. While it helps to keep your home warm or cool, depending on the season, its important to get some fresh air inside.
  • Make sure that you have good ventilation and schedule routine maintenance on your system. And while that's very beneficial, you can also take your IAQ even further by using air filters, germicidal lights and purification systems to get rid of particles while eliminating chemical vapors.
  • Smart or programmable thermostats can help control humidity levels as well as the temperature. This can help prevent germs and other particles from collecting while preserving your home comfort.
Each house brings a unique situation, which is why we advise that you contact our pros at B & G HVAC to find out which solution will be best for your space. Our team will conduct an evaluation of your current system and discuss what your ideal home comfort looks like. That will help us decide which products will be most effective.
It may come as a surprise that air conditioners don't technically make your home cooler; they actually remove the hot air and direct it outside. This hot air blows across a refrigerant coil on the indoor unit and then is sent to the outdoor unit where it is released. Your air conditioner pushes as much hot air outside as is necessary to reach the temperature you have set on your thermostat.
Minimum energy efficiency standards vary by region. Additionally, air conditioners, heat pumps and packaged units made after Jan. 1, 2015, have higher minimum efficiency levels than equipment manufactured prior to that date. The team at B & G HVAC can help you determine the minimum requirements for Marshalltown, let you know if your current systems meets those requirements or help you find a replacement air conditioner that does.
Your systems service panel has a white label on it, with your systems model and serial numbers at the top. M/N stands for model number and S/N is the serial number.
Since equipment size needs vary by home, the best way to determine the right size equipment for your home is to have a technician from B & G HVAC come out to perform load calculation tests. The tests take measurements such as square footage, insulation value and amount, and more into account to determine your homes individual HVAC equipment needs.
Yes debris can limit your systems ability to function effectively. Its normal for heat pumps to have frost or ice on them in the colder months, but many include defrost controls so they can work efficiently regardless of the weather conditions.
When an air conditioner uses two-stage cooling, it means that there are two levels of operation. This lets the system work more efficiently since there is one level for milder weather and another for harsher weather that demands the system work harder. Two-stage cooling also enables slight temperature changes so you don't experience extreme differences in temperature. Aside from better efficiency, other benefits of two-stage cooling include quieter operation and enhanced humidity control.
Your system could be freezing up for a number of reasons, but the most common are dirty filters, low refrigerant, a dirty evaporator coil and/or a faulty blower motor. Changing a filter is something you, the homeowner, can take care of; however, you'll need to call the professionals at B & G HVAC at 641-316-3360 for other problems or if you have other questions or concerns.
B & G HVAC carries a number of great thermostat options for your HVAC systems. The best thermostat for you will depend on a couple variables, such as whether you want one that's programmable or not. No matter what kind of thermostat you'd like or if you're searching for something that can fit with a home automation system call B & G HVAC to hear about which thermostats you can choose from. Our team will help you find one thats best for your system, your family's needs and your budget.
A heat pump covers both your homes heating and cooling needs, offering you one HVAC system that can be used in all four seasons. During the warmer months, heat pumps act like an air conditioner, capturing the hot air from inside your home and transferring it outside; in the cooler months, this process is reversed. Heat pumps can be very energy efficient and may produce two to three times more heat than the energy it uses.
At B & G HVAC, we do recommend replacing both your indoor and outdoor units at the same time because:
  • Today, outdoor systems are built to work with their matching indoor system for maximum efficiency. When you replace only one of your systems, you may not see the same energy savings as if you had replaced them together.
  • Thanks to technological innovation, newer systems mean increased efficiency. This is true for HVAC products as well. While the advancements focus on improved heating and cooling efficiency, they also include benefits such as better air handling, filtering and noise reduction.
  • If your heating and cooling systems are 10+ years old, they need to be replaced. Older models have outdated technology that is likely adding to your energy costs due to poor efficiency. So by replacing your indoor system at the same time as your outdoor equipment, both your systems will provide better energy efficiency that helps you reduce your energy bills and keep your home more comfortable.
Your home energy system could have a communication module that sends performance stats to an online site or portal. You can visit this to monitor your system's status, the amount of energy being produced and the positive impact you are having on the environment. You can also take a look at your owner's manual for tips on monitoring performance.
Rain will clean the modules automatically in most areas; however, if you live in a dusty area, you may see improved performance after periodically spraying the modules with water. Please note that high-pressure hoses and detergents should never be used to clean solar modules, as they can damage the product.
B & G HVAC can help you find the right thermostat for you based on your home and current heating and cooling equipment. We have a variety of programmable and nonprogrammable thermostats, which can help improve the efficiency of your homes furnace and/or air conditioner. Take a look at our thermostats or give us a call at 641-316-3360 for more information.

A large portion of your monthly energy bills can be attributed to your heating and cooling system. It makes sense, because our home comfort is a vital aspect of our day-to-day lives. Thankfully, there are high-efficiency solutions from B & G HVAC that can keep you comfortable while also decreasing energy costs. When it's time for you to look for a new HVAC system, there are a couple things to consider. You'll want to look for air conditioners with high SEER ratings and furnaces with high AFUE ratings. These ratings measure efficiency, so the greater the number the better off you'll be when it comes to saving on energy costs. You can also think about these tips:

  • Keep your system operating to its best ability by booking routine maintenance. It helps maintain efficiency and make sure everything is operating properly.
  • Consider a zoning system if you only have targeted rooms that need to be heated or cooled. There is no need to use energy regulating the temperature in a room that is never, or rarely used.
  • The U.S. Department of Energy indicates that programmable thermostats can save up to 35 percent on heating costs and 25 percent on cooling costs. There are a lot of programmable and smart thermostat choices that are easy to use and vary in the number of features-so you can find an solution that you are comfortable with.
A zoning system lets you section your home and heat or air condition each part differently. While these systems function well for homes that have areas that are rarely visited, they can also be great in situations where you and your family argue about the temperature in various portions of your house. There are a variety of additional bonuses of zoning systems, including efficiency and comfort. Look through our selection of zoning systems or give B & G HVAC a shout to see how a zoning system could fit in your home.