Instantly Reduce you Energy Consumption & Utility Bills

Instantly Reduce your Energy Consumption & Utility Bills

How is that possible? It is possible with Evergreen replacement motors for your home comfort. Here is what they have to say about their motor:

“Perennial Savings: The blower motor is the heart of your furnace or air handler, forcing the air through you ductwork to warm or cool your home. Evergreen is the high-efficiency replacement for a standard blower motor, much like using a compact-fluorescent (CFL) replacement for a typical light bulb. It uses proven ECM (Electronically commutated motor) technology to save you money every time your HVAC system is operating. On average you can expect to save over 25% on annual motor operating costs. Even better, you can use up to 75% fewer Watts with Evergreen when you run your system on constant fan.

Better IAQ and Comfort: Running your Evergreen motor between heating and cooling cycles allows you to filter and circulate the air continuously; and since it is so efficient, it runs continuously for pennies a day.

Start Saving Today: The Evergreen replacement motor is designed to run with most central heating and air conditioning systems and can be installed quickly and easily.”

Contact Lodestar HVAC Company today to start your savings.

425.670.1968 * service@lodestarhvac.com * www.LodestarCompany.com

We look forward to serving you! 

Save Money By Taking Your Foot Off The Gas

Does your furnace or air conditioning system have an accelerator?

In other words, when your equipment is in operation, does it always run at full speed?  If so, then you might be interested in the VSD (Variable Speed Drive) systems that are gaining widespread acceptance in the HVAC field.  These motors or motor drives allow your motors to run at a reduced speed that actually matches the true load of your system.

If you’re driving your vehicle and climbing a hill you would step on the accelerator to match the fuel input to the added load on the engine.  When not climbing a hill you likely back off on the accelerator to match the easier terrain or reduced load.  Likewise if the outdoor temperature is 95 degrees your building has a greater load than if the outdoor temperature was 70 degrees.  A VSD allows your heating and cooling system to operate at a reduced speed when it doesn’t need to be at full speed.  In the Pacific Northwest our heating and cooling systems don’t very often need to operate at full power.

Most buildings benefit from having the fan running continually during the hours that the building is occupied.  This brings in some fresh air from the outside as well as circulating air throughout the building to prevent from having some rooms that are too hot while others are too cool.  But, to accomplish this you usually don’t need to have your fan running at full speed all day.  A VSD is the solution to this problem.

Benefits to VSD fan motors:

* Reduced energy costs
* Increased comfort
* Cleaner air
* Lower noise levels
* Longer equipment life
* Reduced maintenance costs

Take your foot off the gas and save some money while at the same time experiencing more comfort.
Give us a call or speak to one of our technicians to see if VSD equipment is a good option for your heating and cooling systems.
Call or email anytime! 425.670.1968 * Service@LodestarCompany.com
Visit our website to learn more about how we can serve you! www.LodestarCompany.com

Whistle a different tune after our Summer Tune-up!

Chris Mork - Lodestar Dispatcher

Are you experiencing an uncomfortable level of heat in your building?
Has it been several months since your AC system was serviced?

Our customers come to appreciate the confident, calming voice of our coolheaded dispatcher Chris. Even during the most hectic days of the year, he holds the whole show together.

Avoid the summer service rush ~ Make your appointment today with Chris! 425.670.1968

Mention this blog and he will give you 25% off your Summer A/C Tune-up.
Enjoy more comfort & more savings this summer * Offer ends September 1^st, 2011

Our Summer Special Tune-up includes:

Change filters – One free filter included!!
Check belts & pulleys
Check thermostat programs
Function check of Air Conditioning cycle
Check and calibrate economizer function
Check/lube indoor & outdoor fan motors
Check electrical contactors & disconnects
Chemical free cleaning of the indoor & Outdoor coils
Clean & Prime p-traps & drains & apply control algae
Clean return air grilles

  Save repair & energy dollars now by scheduling your Summer A/C tune-up with Lodestar HVAC Company
Quality Service Guaranteed! It’s not just a motto…it’s the way we do business! Servicing your area since 1982.

Lodestar HVAC Company Responding Immediately

During a routine visit to one of our customer’s commercial buildings, Dale Arveson (Service Manager) asked our customer “How do you feel we’re doing?”. His response was “…when I call with a problem, your guys always respond immediately”.

Lodestar is able to give quick response to emergency calls because we have greatly reduced the chance of emergency situations.  Quality preventive maintenance is the reason we aren’t flooded with emergency calls, so when an emergency does occur we usually respond within hours rather than days.  We are committed to quality service because we prefer that our customers conduct their businesses in the most comfortable environment that we can provide, with the least possible interruption to their daily business practices.

Dale Arveson - Lodestar HVAC Company Service Manager

Would you like to avoid being among those calling during the first heat wave of the summer? Contact Dale to talk about a customized Preventive Maintenance schedule to suit your building & budget needs!

Dale@LodestarHVAC.com or call 425.670.1968 – ask for Dale!

Visit our website to learn more about the Lodestar Staff: www.LodestarCompany.com/aboutus

Some like it Hot, Some like it Cold

Are some rooms too hot? Are some rooms too cold?
Allow us to introduce Mr. Slim by Mitsubishi.

Mr. Slim is the innovative
ductless air-conditioning solution from Mitsubishi Electric.

So small and so quiet, you may forget its there!

Now every room in your building can feel just right! Like the cruise control on a car, Mr. Slim, with INVERTER technology, varies the performance of the system to accurately match your indoor cooling & heating requirements, saving energy & money, while keeping you perfectly comfortable.

STANDARD FEATURES:
* Unusually Quiet Operation
* Very low operating cost
* Easy to Install – little or no disruption to your business or home
* Ideal for Commercial or Residential Retrofit Applications
* Quick response time to heating or cooling needs
* Environmentally-Friendly
* Wireless Remote Controller

 View more at: http://www.lodestarcompany.com/mrslim.htm

Start saving today! FREE Estimate Call 425.670.1968 Or Email: Service@LodestarHVAC.com

 

Do you have the right tech?

Lloyd Burningham, owner of Lodestar Company, and his wife, Laurie, frequently enjoys trips across the US throughout the year in their motorhome. Some of his favorite locations include the bold vibrant plateaus in Lake Powell, AZ, the majestic soaring cliffs in Capital Reef, UT, and the fascinating architectural details of dwellings at Mesa Verde, CO.

Among other colorful stories about their adventures, he recently shared a story with us about having a new car mechanic inspect his motorhome. Lloyd relied on the same mechanic for years, thinking that the quality of his work was thorough. Fortunately, a new mechanic looked over the motorhome finding important things that were overlooked.

The engine in the motorhome would sputter, spit and lunge when the ignition was turned off. Lloyd assumed that this was the normal engine operation. The former mechanic always replaced the air filter, with a new clean one. This may have helped for a little while, but the engine was not working as efficiently as it was designed to.

The new mechanic replaced the air filter just as the other mechanic had. Unfortunately, the former mechanic had missed a second air filter buried deeper in the engine that had most likely never been changed. Needless to say this filter was so plugged and filthy that it no longer did its job.

Car engines are much the same as an A/C unit or heating unit. Each part relies on another part in order to do its own job to make the unit run. When we perform a preventive maintenance, including filter replacement, we are always looking for ways to increase the performance and efficiency of your equipment, resulting in:

• Lower energy bills
• Reduced repair costs
• Increase longevity of life for the unit
• Healthier environments

Who is servicing your equipment? Are they being as thorough as needed? Or are your units and utilities bills suffering from a lack of knowledge and hasty inspections, as Lloyd’s motorhome did? Lodestar techs are very thorough in their work, and knowledgeable about a variety of models and brands. We feel great pride and confidence in our skilled technicians and you will too.  Lodestar’s work is always Quality Service Guaranteed! Give us a try and you’ll enjoy savings and improved work environments.

Give us a call today! 425.670.1968 or email Service@lodestarhvac.com

COMFORT TIPS – Because We’re not Comfortable until You’re Comfortable

There are two main areas that we focus on as an HVAC company.  One is the matter of keeping HVAC equipment working in peak condition.  The other is on the matter of keeping people comfortable..  You might ask “Aren’t these two areas of focus basically one and the same?”  Well, they are certainly related topics but it is possible to have the HVAC equipment in great working condition and for people to still be experiencing discomfort.

The Challenges:

• A thermostat that is sensing the temperature in only one room while trying to control temperature in several rooms.
• Some rooms have more window or outside wall exposure than other rooms.
• Some rooms have more people, computers, printers & lights than other rooms.
• Different metabolisms in different offices. (some people like it hot, some don’t)
• Some people have a desk that sits directly under or directly over an air conditioning register.

The good news is that there are solutions for all of these challenges.  We don’t have to “just endure” under conditions that make us uncomfortable.

The Solutions:

• Make sure your thermostat is configured so that your HVAC system is continually blending the air during the hours that your building is occupied.  This will decrease the temperature disparity between different rooms.
• Sometimes people feel uncomfortable if air is blowing directly toward them.  This can usually be solved by an adjustment in the register, by moving the register to a different location or by replacing the register with one that can be easily adjusted so that the air can be directed away from that person.
• Maybe the duct system volume dampers have gotten out of calibration causing too much air to enter some rooms and too little air to other rooms.  An air balance procedure can solve this problem.
• Over the years, ductwork can begin to leak or has become collapsed.  This problem can easily be solved as well.
• Maybe the rooms served by this HVAC system are so different in nature that the only solution is a zone control system.  In almost all situations it is possible to install individual zone controls that will allow each room to have their own thermostat and for individuals to dial in the individual temperature settings of their preference. Check out our recent blog dealing with this issue Too Hot? Too Cold? CLICK HERE

Be assured that there are many options to be considered if you have comfort needs that aren’t being met.  In many cases minor adjustments can produce significant improvements in overall comfort levels.

Your comfort is our business – We’re not comfortable until you are comfortable!

Please give us a call to discuss the details of your particular building. 425.670.1968

Visit our website: www.LodestarCompany.com

I think it’s a Heat Pump…What is a Heat Pump?

There is some confusion about the definition of the term, Heat Pump.

Heat Pump Defined: A heat pump is a refrigeration system that takes heat from one place and transfers (or pumps) it to another place. A heat pump also has the ability to change the source and destination of this transfer.

In the heating season, a heat pump system takes heat from the outside air and pumps this heat into the air stream in our homes or businesses.  In the cooling season it takes heat from inside our businesses or homes and pumps that heat to the outside.

This ability to change source (where it collects the heat) and the destination (where it gets rid of the heat) is accomplished with a special device called a Reversing Valve which changes the direction of refrigerant flow.  This reversing valve is the main difference between a heat pump and a conventional air conditioning system.

 Frequently Asked Questions About Heat Pumps:

Is my heat pump not working correctly if it makes funny noises like a loud “swoosh” followed by a change in the normal running noise?  Actually, this is a normal sound of your heat pump going into a defrost mode to remove frost from the outdoor coil.

Do I need heat pump repair if I see frost building up on the outdoor unit of my heat pump?  Some frost build-up is normal during colder temperatures.  This frost should be removed during a normal defrost cycle which could take place as often as every hour.  If this frost doesn’t go away but continues to build up then you need to have your heat pump serviced as soon as possible.

So, are all heating/cooling systems heat pumps?  No, if your heat source in the cooler season is a gas, oil, wood or propane furnaces, then you most likely don’t have a heat pump, you have a Conventional System.  (One exception will be described below)  In this more conventional system the refrigeration components only allow refrigerant to flow in one direction which is typically to take heat from the building and to get rid of that heat to the outside.  This is not a heat pump system because it can’t reverse the direction of heat flow.

What is the one exception? Dual Fuel. A dual fuel system is the one exception to the above rule.  When the outside air is zero degrees it is more difficult to collect an adequate amount of heat to keep your building warm.  One way to solve this problem is to have a gas, oil, propane or wood furnace that you can switch to when the outdoor air temperature drops so low that your heat pump looses efficiency.  In this case you have a heat pump plus a fossil fuel furnace – hence the name, Duel Fuel System.

Have other questions? Visit our Questions & Answer page! http://lodestarcompany.com/questions.htm or send us an email Service@Lodestarhvac.com

Join our team! We Currently have Positions Open – May 2011

Lodestar Company is an HVAC contractor servicing the Puget Sound region since 1982. We specialized in the light commercial market with an excellent reputation for quality installation and service work. We are a Trane dealer and also specialize in gas radiant heat. We have a great team spirit and believe that we do our best work when we work as a team.

POSITIONS AVAILABLE:

• Commercial Installation Technician
• Experienced HVAC/R Service Technician
• Entry Level HVAC/R Service Technician (training available)

REQUIREMENTS & BENEFITS: http://lodestarcompany.com/careers.htm

Please give us a call or forward a resume. We look forward to hearing from you:

• Phone: 425.670.1968
• Fax: 425.775.1967
• Email: Service@LodestarHVAC.com
• Mail: 6323 204th St. SW Lynnwood, WA 98036

Learn more about our company at: http://lodestarcompany.com/aboutus.htm
“Quality Service Guaranteed” It’s not just a motto…it’s how we do business!

“You Won’t Believe It!”

“You won’t believe it!”  Our technicians make comments like this from time to time when they see HVAC equipment that hasn’t had proper maintenance.

The_­ photo on the left shows a blower drive belt that should have been replaced many months prior. The result is that this customer is probably paying twice what they should, every day they operate this equipment.

The photo on the right shows another unit that may look good at first glance but the pulley is actually worn to the point that this customer is likely paying at least 10% more than needed to operate the equipment.

Our Efficiency Enforcing Technicians are on the hunt every day to find and correct these hidden costs that occur due to lack of maintenance.  Here are a few examples of what a worn belt will do to the efficiency of your system:

• Causes pulleys to wear out prematurely.
• Reduces blower speeds, which results in poor air flow & reduces your comfort.
• Causes additional stress to the heat exchanger, drastically dropping the efficiency of the unit.

Because power bills slowly increase over time due to these issues, most customers wouldn’t even know about all the costs associated their inefficient equipment.

Could this be happening to you? 

Regular maintenance of your HVAC systems can alleviate many of these issues.  Contact us today for a custom preventive maintenance program to fit your building’s needs!

425.670.1968 * Service@Lodestarhvac.com * www.LodestarCompany.com