Pacific Aire Inc.

Today is Employee Appreciation Day..

To honor and thank all of our hard working employees, we held an Employee Appreciation Breakfast yesterday. 

Check out the photos below and more on our Facebook!

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Pacific Aire Owner Mark Schneider will have a booth at the Veterans Training for Employment Job Fair in Camarillo this Wednesday!

Heat Pump Installation Procedures Your Technician Should Follow

By Greg, Pacific Aire Comfort Advisor,

A heat pump is a conditioning appliance that provides excellent energy efficiency, as long as the heat pump installation follows the protocols the manufacturer requires. The critical aspects of the installation start with the sizing of the pump and ductwork, choosing its energy efficiency and siting it. 

Choosing the right size for a heat pump requires more than basing it on the size of your existing system. An HVAC technician needs to use Manual J, the industry standard, to determine how many tons you need. Manual J takes into account these factors about your home:

• Cubic footage to condition
• Insulation levels in walls and attic
• Number of windows, their size, efficiency and exposure to the sun
• Layout of the home
• Number of occupants and their ages
• Personal preferences for temperature settings
• Air infiltration rates
• Heat-producing appliances
• Landscaping factors

Once the HVAC technician knows the tonnage for the heat pump, he or she uses the information to use Manual D to size the ductwork. 

The next step is determining the energy efficiency of the system. Heat pump efficiency is expressed as SEER (seasonal energy efficiency ratio) and HSPF (heating seasonal performance factor). The minimum HSPF is 7.7 and the SEER is 13. Anything higher lowers electrical consumption. 

Locating where the outdoor condenser and the air handler will be located is an important part of heat pump installation and may even affect the system you choose. The condenser needs to be placed outdoors where it won't be in strong winds in the winter or sit in the hot sun in the summer.

If your yard is small, a heat pump condenser with a variable-speed motor, also called an electronically commutated motor, uses less electricity than a single-speed motor and runs quietly. These motors also contribute to higher SEER and HSPF ratings. They can be used in the air handler for a quieter home, better humidity removal in the summer and thorough conditioned air distribution. 

If you would like more information about heat pump installation, contact Pacific Aire Heating & Cooling. We've provided HVAC services for Ventura and Santa Barbara since 1990. 

Image via Shutterstock.com

Looks like we have a team of Service Super Hero's this week!

Congratulations to Greg, Diego and Rudy!

Using a Whole-House Humidifier as a Health-Promoting Tool During Winter

By Greg, Pacific Aire Comfort Advisor,

A whole-house humidifier is designed to maximize home comfort during the winter when indoor air is dry, and it consistently delivers. However, whole-house humidification carries one significant side effect -- it also promotes good health. 

The winter months, or "cold and flu season," have earned a bad reputation for good reason. Studies indicate cold, dry air promotes the spread and infection of viruses, such as the flu. The flu virus thrives during the dry winter months for these reasons:

1. The flu virus forms a coating in cold, dry conditions (as opposed to warm weather), which gives the virus more stability.
2. When flu viruses are released into dry indoor air by way of coughs and sneezes, the dry air pulls moisture out of the tiny cough and sneeze droplets, leaving the virus to linger in the air for easier transmission.
3. Dry air commonly causes dehydration and fatigue in household members, which disrupts the immune system, as well as dry noses and throats, which provide perfect conditions for virus transmission.

Whole-house humidifiers promote good health

The winter months bring substantially less humid atmospheric conditions throughout the Ventura and Santa Barbara County areas. The humidity inside your home is further decreased as inflowing cold air is heated, and its relative humidity drops. The result is indoor air that feels extremely dry and uncomfortable.

A whole-house humidifier counters dry indoor air by adding water vapor to airflow via the duct system. Humidifying your home in this method delivers vital moisture throughout your household.

These are the positive results of whole-house humidification:

• When flu viruses are present in indoor air, optimal humidity levels inhibit transmission by, in a sense, "smothering" the viruses with moisture.
• Optimal humidity levels promote healthy respiratory tract and immune system function, further inhibiting transmission and infection.
• Optimal humidity levels help maximize comfort and promote healthy skin, as opposed to dry, cracked and itchy skin.

If you would like more details about the benefits of using a whole-house humidifier, contact Pacific Aire Heating & Cooling. We provide solutions for dry indoor air, as well as other HVAC issues, for Santa Barbara and Ventura County homeowners. 

Image via Shutterstock.com